Chapter 161 - Negotiation (3)

I'm walking briskly through the city. Not in my light, breastplate-only city mode, but with my shield and mace out.

"No, hold on! I said wait!"

Behind me, Lady Urbans is practically running to keep up, trying to stop me.

"I know what you're trying to do, but doing that now won't help you, Mr. Jandel!"

"..."

"I-I'll handle it. Of course, I'll need your help... You lend me your strength, and I'll do the thinking. What do you say? Don't we make a pretty good team?"

What is she even going on about?

I ignore her chatter and keep walking. Treated as though she's invisible, Lady Urbans resorts to drastic measures, blocking my path and grabbing my arm...

Come on. Did she really think that would work?

"Oh, for crying out loud!!"

Unable to offer any resistance and dragged along instead, Lady Urbans angrily throws her parasol to the ground.

But perhaps it's only a momentary outburst. Within three seconds, she picks it up again and resumes trailing after me.

"Um, well... I-I'm sorry."

"...?"

"It might be my fault you got caught up in this, Mr. Jandel. If I hadn't approached you, Father might have left you alone."

"At least you have enough shame to recognize that."

Her candid apology finally gets a response out of me. Of course, I don't stop walking.

That's one thing, and this is another, right? Besides, she doesn't even seem all that sincere.

"But I apologized!!"

I pick up the pace instead. Lady Urbans, who has clearly led a pampered life, doggedly follows, wiping her sweat with a handkerchief.

Apparently, she still thinks she can persuade me.

"Huff, huff, whew...!"

Even as she pants for breath, Lady Urbans never stops talking.

"Give me a chance to make things right. I know it's shameless of me to ask. B-but once I inherit Father's position, I'll repay you several times over...!"

Is she finally reaching her physical limit?

Her voice grows more and more distant. After a moment's consideration, I slow down a little.

Not because I've changed my mind about helping her, of course...

'Having her beside me when I meet the district manager might actually be useful.'

On second thought, I might be able to use her reactions to easily prove my innocence.

Still, if I walk too slowly, she'll definitely start making a racket beside me. I put some distance between us, then adjust my pace to keep it that way.

About thirty minutes later, I finally reach my destination.

[Explorer Guild, District 7 Central Branch.]

Each district in the city has a main branch like this. I've seen it a few times in passing, but it's much larger than the other branches. There are plenty of explorers here, too, since certain business can only be handled at the main branch.

I stand in front of the doors for a moment, considering.

'Should I smash these or not?'

Does it look like I'm hesitating?

Lady Urbans, now practically drenched in sweat, quickly speaks up.

"That's right. It's still not too late..."

What's she talking about?

"All right, I've decided."

"What?"

"I'll smash them."

Yes, I like that option better.

* * *

BOOOM!

I kick the closed doors with all my might.

They won't reconsider unless I show them a barbarian running wild. Make them think, Oh, we could really be fucked if we mess with this guy.

'If things end well, they won't even be able to ask me to pay for the repairs anyway.'

Even if they do, I can afford some repairs.

But did they use good wood for the doors because this is the main branch? They don't shatter as satisfyingly as I expected.

And so...

"Aaah! Wh-what are you suddenly—!"

Ignoring whatever Lady Urbans is saying, I pull my leg out of the door and calmly grip my mace.

Then I smash the doors to pieces.

CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH!

The entrance has evolved into an open-plan design, letting in a pleasant breeze and improving air circulation inside.

Beyond it, I see employees and explorers staring at me.

"... A robber?"

"No, a robber would go to a bank. Why come here...?"

Some voice reasonable suspicions. Others simply stare in a daze. Some look at me like I'm a lunatic. And finally, there are the shrewd explorers who see an opportunity in this situation.

"Miss, will I get some merit score if I take care of that?"

"Huh? Yes! Yes, I remember an internal regulation to that effect being introduced about six months ago!"

"Excellent."

A bald man standing beside a female employee approaches me, rolling his arms to loosen up.

Come to think of it, there was someone like this last time. Back when I became the Barbarian of Freedom, half a year ago.

'... I didn't expect a rank-five explorer to show up right away. Does the main branch get higher-caliber visitors?'

The identification badge he proudly wears at his waist marks him as a rank-five explorer.

Not that I have any reason to feel outmatched. In fact, he might be the perfect opponent to measure my combat strength against.

But...

"I didn't come to fight you. Move."

As one of the few modern people in this world, I try talking first. There's no need to fight an explorer.

But the bald man doesn't seem willing to let this chance to earn merit score slip away.

"Hey, barbarian. Looks like you're doing this because you've got some complaint against the Guild. You should have followed the proper procedures to file it."

"A complaint?"

"Oh, do you not even know what procedures are? I suppose that's possible for a savage."

I smile bitterly.

A savage. He isn't exactly wrong. Even barbarians consider themselves savages.

But only we get to call each other that.

And he doesn't even understand that simple truth!

"... There's something wrong with your head. That's probably why you went bald, too."

"What? You little shit...!"

He must indeed have shaved his head because he was losing his hair, because he furiously lunges at me.

Or, to be precise, he's just about to.

"S-stop, both of you!!"

Lady Urbans steps between us and shouts. Apparently unwilling to hurt a civilian, Baldy stops in his tracks.

"Stand aside. This man is a criminal who dared cause a disturbance in the Guild. I don't know who you are, miss, but if you recklessly take his side—"

Just as he snorts threateningly at Lady Urbans, an employee recognizes her, taking the situation in a new direction.

"... Lady Urbans?"

"What? Urbans? The district manager's daughter?"

"Why would a woman like her defend a savage like that...?"

Realizing who she is, the bald man seems to sense something is wrong and quietly backs away for now.

Is that because he's rank five? He certainly catches on quickly.

"Is Father upstairs?"

"Pardon? Yes! He is, but..."

"We'll go up together. That's all right, isn't it? As for things here... please take care of them."

"Yes! Of course!"

Thanks to Lady Urbans's status, the commotion on the first floor is somehow smoothed over, and we head upstairs.

CREAK, CREAK.

The wooden stairs groan, unable to bear the weight of a heavily equipped barbarian.

I pause to ask her a question.

"Why did you help me just now?"

"You weren't going to change your mind anyway."

Well, that's true...

But that makes it even harder to understand. If she's decided she can't recruit me as an ally, why try to help?

"I thought my proposal would ultimately benefit you as well, Mr. Jandel. But if you don't want it, then this must be the right thing to do. I'm sorry our family affairs caused you trouble for no reason. Once we're inside, I'll explain things to Father."

Hmm. That feels more sincere than before.

But...

"I see."

I nod indifferently and resume walking.

"Huh? That's it?"

What, did she expect me to have a change of heart?

"Fulfill your ambitions with your own hands."

I'll pass on the hassle.

Honestly, I can't sympathize with her whole position as a daughter whose father has robbed her of freedom, either.

If she truly wanted independence, she could have given it all up. Every right and obligation that comes with being the district manager's daughter.

"My lady?"

We soon reach the district manager's office, where a guard blocks the way.

"Who is that man beside you?"

"A guest here to see Father."

The guard asks in a professional tone, and Lady Urbans gives a vague answer for now.

The guard knocks on the door and explains the situation to the district manager. Permission soon follows.

"Show them in."

"You cannot take your weapons inside. Hand them over, please."

I raise my mace as though complying with the guard's instructions.

And then...

CRUNCH!

I make my own way into the office.

* * *

The office door has evolved into an open-plan design.

As I step through it, the district manager sits frozen at his desk, pen in hand, looking between me and Lady Urbans.

"What is the meaning of...!"

After a brief silence, the guard moves, but the district manager speaks.

"Enough. You may leave."

"But..."

"What you fear won't happen. He isn't that thoughtless."

"Yes, sir."

He must have trained the guard well, because the man leaves without another word at that single instruction.

Of course, there's no need to close the door.

It doesn't exist anymore.

"Whew..."

As the guard, who has been hovering in the hallway in bewilderment, heads downstairs, the district manager rises from his desk and sits on a sofa.

I take a seat opposite him.

CRRRUNCH.

The sofa sags, unable to withstand the weight of a barbarian in heavy armor.

True to my barbarian nature, I don't apologize.

"Your sofa's old."

A vein bulges blue on the district manager's forehead.

But perhaps he decides the sofa isn't important.

"... Never mind that. Tell me what you want. You come here hand in hand with my daughter and do this. You must have a reason."

"Um, Father, that's..."

"I didn't ask you."

Lady Urbans turns to stone at those words. Despite boldly plotting against her own father, she apparently still fears him.

I speak bluntly.

"Sort out your family business between yourselves."

That was the first reason I came here today.

"Does that mean you're betraying my daughter?"

"Betraying her? We never joined forces in the first place. And we never will."

The district manager studies me intently, as though trying to discern my true intentions.

I don't bother making excuses. It's up to him to decide.

"Then why did you come with my daughter?"

"She kept coming around and pestering me, so I thought it'd be better to tell you directly. Then she followed me. Trotting after me like a goblin."

"Th-that was because I was trying to stop you before you caused trouble, Mr. Jandel...!"

Lady Urbans bristles at the word "goblin" and speaks up. As expected, her reaction helps.

"I see. I'll take your word for it."

That settles my first objective: clearing up the misunderstanding.

"But if that was your purpose, why behave so rudely?"

The district manager looks at the shattered door as he asks.

"This has nothing to do with my feelings. What will people think of me when they see that broken door?"

Well, an honest, upright leader who values communication with his staff and has nothing to hide?

The thought makes me chuckle.

I know what he's getting at. He's saying I've damaged his reputation.

"Not a single person could object if I had you arrested and detained right now."

He's not wrong, but I'm not scared. I know he can't do it.

That's precisely why I'm behaving so recklessly.

"Go ahead and arrest me. Everything you've done will come to light, too."

"... Are you counting on that Scout friend of yours?"

"Of course not."

I shake my head firmly. I have no intention of dragging Rotmiller into this.

Besides, I have a much better card to play.

"I have a copy of the recording of you trying to win over the mage back when I escaped from prison."

"That young lady from the Altemion School lied to me, then."

"She said she wouldn't show anyone. I don't think she said she wouldn't make a copy."

I tilt my head with feigned innocence and add,

"I don't know if you've heard, but she recently joined my team as our mage."

In other words, forget about trying to win Raven over.

The district manager's gaze turns cold.

Seriously, does he still not understand the situation?

I'm no longer the weak-ass barbarian I was when we first met.

"A district manager who tried to frame the barbarian tribe's successor and have him killed. I hear there's an election next year. That's a scandal people could really sink their teeth into."

"... Successor?"

"Your information's still slow. That happened recently."

The district manager presses his lips together, then asks after a short pause,

"... What do you want?"

A declaration of complete surrender.

It's about time to move on to my second reason for coming here.

The district manager tried to use Rotmiller to harm me. Normally, that would be a crime grave enough to warrant smashing his skull three times over.

Of course, making him pay would mean dealing with countless hassles myself, and afterward we'd be enemies for good.

So today, I'll leave it at a warning. The Dragonslayer alone is enough of a headache.

But...

"I don't care whether there's another misunderstanding or you just hate me. If you ever pull something like that again..."

I continue.

"There won't be any more talking."

I unleash my Bloodlust and glare at the district manager. He flinches and stiffens. His reaction isn't as dramatic as what I got in Ghost Busters, but this should be more than enough to drive the warning home.

"..."

My business finished, I rise from the sofa without hesitation.

The district manager abruptly asks,

"Aren't you going to hear my answer?"

Well, would hearing his answer mean anything?

I chuckle.

And then...

CRRRAAACK!

I grab the edge of the table between us with both hands and fold it using nothing but the strength of my arms.

"Your table's pretty old, too."

That concludes today's negotiation.

But if I ever come here again...