482 Standing in the Way
We went outside where a group of mercenaries waited. Chief Raie spoke first.
"I won't give you the permission. Aren't you guys the mercenaries who came here before? I already told you my reasoning, remember? Letting you guys trample upon still healthy grass is akin to killing this production site. To the point of no return. Who here can guarantee it won't come to that? I'll never issue a permit without a concrete guarantee. And if you still insist on entering by force, we shall file a complaint to the kingdom demanding for reparations as well as your reward. I dare you go knowing that."
What seemed to be the leader of this mercenaries group came forward to negotiate.
"Our client will pay the security money. That should be enough. Give us permission now. You okay with that yeah?"
"No. Bring that client of yours here to this place. Then write down the guarantee and present it to the mercenary guild. Once it's approved through a review and formally gain a stamp of approval from the kingdom, I'll give you the permit. I believe you're all aware the current situation of medicinal plants in the kingdom, no? The economic situation hasn't recovered enough to accept such a request. Or else, you wouldn't have come barging in here like this. You get it, right? Once the kingdom formally deems this as a 'national issue', your role will also end. They will deploy the army. Even if it came too late. They should be more delicate, and willing to listen at least, affording a safe magic beast extermination. Go through the proper channel if you're really mercenaries. That's your best course of action, get it?"
The merc leader looked like she got him. All she said was reasonable.
The other mercenaries seemed dissatisfied. Voicing their complaints out.
"Oy, who said they'd let us in if we just threatened 'em huh?
"Didn't that client say the feeble lass is gonna crumple with a bit of shakeup?"
"This request always seemed fishy to me. Crap stank from the beginning."
"Your intuition's usually right on the money. Nobody believes it tho'. Pfft..."
"Thought this was gonna be a quick and easy, good paying job. What now?"
"Yeah sounds like we got no ground to stand on. Wait, do we gotta pay the client if we failed this mission?"
"I just paid for my equipment maintenance. Ain't got no money for that crap."
"Besides, when are we even gonna fight the griffon? Do we gotta wait another week?"
"Will our request be considered failed if the griffon's gone? Or cleared?"
Things sound like a bit of a mess. The client, no, the culprit must be losing their patience and urge these mercenaries to force their way through.
Something isn't right here. The client who hired these mercenaries doesn't seem like the same person who hatched the elaborate plan.
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
(Either they're different people... or the one executing it is incompetent.)
I breathed a sigh of relief. If the mastermind that put the ploy together made their move, this site would likely not last long.
I can tell the mastermind doesn't really care about this site.
The executor must be the one eager to destroy this site while the mastermind only made the rough draft.
(I should have looked it from another angle. If the they were the same person, this site would have been long gone before I got here.)
I was relieved to have that fact cleared up.
The word 'mastermind' reeking of chuuni-ness must have clouded my vision.
"Sorry, but we don't have time. We're gonna push our way in."
Apparently the leader isn't willing to go through the proper channel. That's dumb.
There's no way the leader of a group himself doesn't understand the importance of that. That makes one thing clear if anything; this leader must have a backdoor dealing with the client.
I mean, everybody but the leader looked surprised.
(I did work as a businessman in my past life. Gotta know how to read the other party's expression or I wouldn't fill my quota. That's how I managed to gain precious time for my hobby. Gaming time is my time of healing. Don'tcha underestimate it.)
"Fine then, I'll give you a chance. I'll test you out to see if you people can even defeat the griffon. Can't let you guys make a mess out of the site."
I took a step forward and stood in the leader's way.
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