Chapter 73: Preparation for negotiation
If audio player doesn't work, press Stop then Play button again
Compensation? Why should I pay for that?
'Well, well, that's.......well, I mean, you summoned us without permission and caused us trouble.......'
"Hmm, I told you first, you chose obedience or death, and you chose obedience.
'No, no....because I couldn't go against that situation...'
Sweat from the pores of my head is running down my temples to my chin.
I can't think straight because I'm in such a hurry to persuade the other person by connecting words somehow, and I can't speak.
I told you that I would give you a reward if you did your job. You want me to give you money after you abandoned your role, that's a hell of a lot to ask.
No, no... because... because... because...
Yes, that's it but this is a long way off.
Both Sato-sensei, who made the stop, and Oda-sensei, who played the role of Camilla, have their heads in their hands.
''I'm sorry...''
Even though I'm not prepared for any of this, umm ... that's terrible.
'Ugh...'
I visited the garrison's temporary quarters first thing in the morning to discuss the negotiations with the teachers.
I've explained to them all about the situation in Riesenburg that Fred and Basten have researched so far, our relationship with the Landsholt Republic, and our situation.
We then confirmed that the top priority in the negotiations would be the same as before: return to the world, followed by an apology and compensation.
And the result of the negotiations was an exercise in negotiation.
"Kokubun-kun...
Yes, what is it?
Can you let us handle this negotiation?
Is this for the teachers?
'Yes, me, Oda-sensei, and all the other teachers, but they haven't helped me at all since I came to this world.
When Sato-sensei looked at him, Oda-sensei nodded his head in agreement.
''As Sato-sensei says, if we continue like this, we'll really remain useless. Of course, I'm going to keep an eye on my students' behavior during their time in this city, but honestly, that's not enough to save our face as teachers.
Oh, I see.
It's true that the only thing the teachers worked on while they escaped from Rustock was checking the students' lists.
''Of course, it was thanks to Kokubun-kun that I was able to escape to Volzard, and I admit that I'm willing to go to negotiations. However.........looking at the current situation, I think it will take some time to be able to negotiate with that princess.
'Surely ... I think the doctor is right.
No, to be honest, my willingness to go into negotiations is not that high.
Besides, if you imagine yourself negotiating in real life, I don't need to tell you who is better suited for the job, me or Oda-sensei.
What Kokubun lacks in experience and what we lack in information, you know which is easier to make up for...?
'Yes, yes, I think I should ask the doctor to negotiate, too. But I'd have to go back to Rustock to negotiate, and of course it would be dangerous...
In order to negotiate in Rastock, you'd have to go through the Demon Forest and you'd be stepping into hostile territory, so it's not exactly safe.
I'm fully aware of that as well. And besides, I don't think it's acceptable as a teacher and an adult to just sit back in safety while Kokubun-kun is getting bloodied up to rescue us.
Of course, we can't ensure safety on our own, so we'll have to rely on Kokubun to keep us safe, which is a shameful state of affairs.
The teachers laughed as they said this.
''What do you think? Reinhardt
I think it would be better if you could help me with this.
'Okay, I'll ask the doctors to negotiate with Camilla and I'll stay on as a bodyguard.
To be honest, I'm really relieved.
If I had gone into negotiations, it would have been worse than the practice we just had.
By the way, Kokubun, if we are going to negotiate, we need to stay in Volzard until those negotiations are concluded. If possible, I'd like to say hello to the person in charge of the city, can you get in touch with him or her?
'Yes, I can ask about Klaus-san's schedule, but I'm sure he's busy cleaning up the mess right now, so I'm not sure when we'll be able to visit him...
Yeah, but the number of demons was amazing. It was like watching a scene from a movie.
'It was really bad for my heart until I got to the city.
It's true that the teachers were right, hordes of goblins in numbers like that can only be seen in the special effects scenes in movies in Japan, and it's not something you want to see when they actually come rushing in to target you.
And unlike the movies and VR games, there was even a nauseating, dense smell of blood, which doubled the horror of the scene.
Anyway, this isn't Japan, or even Earth. "Anyway, this isn't Japan, and this isn't even Earth, so our common sense may not always apply to negotiations. What we need is information. Kokubun, I need more detailed information. Can you compile a few documents for me?
All right, I'll put together what I've found on the Riesenburg.
And, crucially, I need more information on the summons and repatriation.
'Yes, that's the thing, sir...'
Naturally, information on the summons and repatriation must be gathered first and foremost, but it seems to be a secret in the royal family as well, so I have not been able to find any detailed information.
Fred has been searching the garrison in Rastock, and Basten has been sneaking around the castle, but he hasn't been able to find a single piece of information.
I asked him to check the materials in Camilla's office and private room as well, but although there is a description of the general magic circle, I can't find any materials about the summoning technique.
''I see.......it's possible that they were destroyed.......''
''We thought so too, but aside from the material on the summoning technique that's already been done, it's odd that we don't have any material on the repatriation technique we're supposed to be doing, isn't it?
Hmmm I don't really want to think beyond that...
If the reason for the non-existence of the data was as we had imagined it was a dark shadow on the road we were heading down.
''All right, I'll let you continue to explore that one, but I also want to know how well the Kokubun and the subordinates can work.
What we do...?
'Yes, I should say competence. Our greatest strength is undoubtedly Kokubun and his team, and that's directly related to the advantages and disadvantages we're presenting to the Riesenburg side.
Does that mean you're going to threaten to turn us against them, like...?
Depends. And they've been able to control us by force. If you don't let them know what the consequences of their next move on us will be, you can't be sure they won't come to this city for the worst.
''Well if they think we don't have the power to fight on our own, it's going to be bad for Volzard's position and all.
'That's what I mean. Given the nature of the negotiations, it's not something you can simply threaten with force, but if you're perceived as powerless, there's a chance you won't be able to negotiate on an equal footing.
Okay, I'll make sure to get that to you as well.
Having said that, it's better to leave the material on Riesenburg to Fred and Basten than to me to make it.
That's right, you don't have to work hard on your own, but get help from the people around you, that's what a workshare is all about, right? Was it different?
The negotiations had settled down and it was just about lunchtime, so I headed to the cafeteria with the teachers.
'Kokubun, is the second round about to begin?'
Heh ... ugh!
At the end of the road to the cafeteria are the chairman and Manon.
They both notice me and wave at me with a smile, but my face, as I wave back, is twitching.
I mean, why are the two of them together?
'Hello doctor, may I borrow Kenjin and go?'
Yeah, well, that's okay, because we've already taken care of our business.
Let's go, Kent!
Huh? What happened to the story about eating..........well, most of the story is done.
Just like yesterday, I'm taken away with my left arm held by the chairman and my right arm held by Manon.
From the look on their faces, it doesn't look like it's going to rain blood.......
How did you two get together?
What? Would it be a poor thing if me and Manon were together?
Yeah, I'm not, but I was just wondering why, you know.
You know, I'm thinking about learning some healing magic from Yuika.
''Eh, healing magic... well, I didn't know there was a healing magic for the water attribute as well.
Come to think of it, the examination room that the chairman was in also had some kind of bathtub for water-based healing magic, though I didn't use it.
'Oh yeah, Manon, get Kenjin to cast a healing spell on you. He can use a much more powerful healing spell than I can.
You know, I remember you fixed that Kent's fracture yourself.
'Well, yeah, well, I do, but I don't really know what I'm doing to get better.'
But if you ask Kenjin to cast a healing spell on you, you'll somehow understand how to channel or use your magic power, so you can imitate that. I did that and I got a knack for it, too.
'Yeah, well, Kent, can I ask you later?'
Yes, of course.
According to the two of them, they talked about a lot of things while they were shopping yesterday, and the subject of healing magic came up.
So they thought that if Manon could also use healing magic, there would be more places for him to play an active role.
Light-attribute magic is more effective in treating trauma and broken bones, but water-attribute healing magic is said to have a wide range of uses, such as being used as a base for drinking medicines and water to ripen jiboula.
''But if we move on to the healing magic, I feel like we're going to be separated from dungeon exploration, is that okay?
''Hmmm ... I have dreams of exploring dungeons like my dad, but I'm sure we have different attributes and can't do the same thing.
I heard that Manon's father used the earth attribute well to earn money by working in dungeons to collect minerals.
I think I can do it if I just want to hide in dungeons, but it will be difficult to search for minerals there efficiently unless I can use the magic of the earth attribute.
'Well, Kent can move through the shadows, can't he? Seems like it would be easy to hide in a dungeon.
Yeah, if you want to dive, you could go and do it in your bra.
I listened to the story over lunch with them, and I heard that the chairman decided to gain experience as a healer in the garrison's infirmary because of his experience helping during the extreme outbreak.
The garrison's infirmary is said to be the same as Rastok's office, where they also heal the people of the city.
Manon will follow up with his rescued classmates as they do their work, and will go to the garrison's infirmary once every two days to gain experience as well as the chairman of the committee.
'So then, every two days you two are together, like today?
'Yes, because that way you don't have to worry about running off...'
Oh, I'm running out of...
So if you meet Manon in the guild, you're not allowed to make out with him.
'Ugh...'
No sneaking into the Yuica's room, either.
Okay.
The committee chairman and Manon have made a promise not to run out on each other.
That means no hugs or kisses for a while.
I'm going to miss them a bit, but I'll be patient.
We finished our meal while the two of us talked about the doctor's office and I talked about the extreme outbreak and future negotiations.
My classmates who came near me were very interested in the negotiations, and they asked me a lot of questions, but I'm still in the preparation stage, so there's not much I can answer to them.
After we finished eating, we decided to cast a healing spell on Manon as promised.
I put my hand on Manon's back and was about to pour the healing magic on him when the chairman stopped me.
''Wait Kento, I don't mean that, just pour it on in a squeezed state.
Yeah, here?
Of course, you're not allowed to sneak out of the house and you have to do it on my watch.
No, all of my classmates are watching.....Well, it would be nice if it was approved by the chairman.
It was a bit awkward, but I hugged Manon and let the healing magic flow.
''Ah........''
Manon raised a small voice and came to hug me tightly himself.
Yeah, it's a healthy Manon, so it feels like the healing magic is also smoothly circulating throughout my body.
I mean, the boys' vindictive gaze is terribly scary.......
How do you get it, Manon?
Yeah, it's just a little bit, but I can feel it going through my body like this...
'Yeah, yeah, that's it, I think you should be conscious of using magic to recreate that for yourself.
I don't know if I'm the one who's hanging it up right now, but I'm not complaining if it's going to help me in any way.
After that, the chairman and Manon went to the infirmary, and I decided to go to the guild to ask about the meeting schedule with Klaus-san.
''Ah, you know, Kent, about what I was saying earlier...''
What did you mean earlier?
He said he promised Manon he wouldn't run off.
'Oh, yeah, what about it?'
If we promise not to cut corners...
There's another one, isn't there?
Umm... yes.
Right, even though the chairman and Manon promised not to run out on each other, they didn't have a promise to make with Beatrice.
''So.........''
"Manon?
When we were together.
When Manon and I are around...
'Yuioka? Hmm........
Hehehe..............................They kissed me on the cheek from both sides.
Could this be the harem that's developing?
Heh, I'll do it again... ouch.
Kent....
Don't get cocky...
'Yes, I'm sorry...'
There's no need for the two of us to pinch each other's sides together.
After seeing the two of them leave while talking in a somewhat joyful manner, I'll go to the guild to finish my business alone.
Yeah, but I can't stop grinning.
As I'm walking towards the guild, I see some kind of line of people zipping into the guild.
When I go up to see what the line is for, it looks like they are children younger than me.
''Ah! Kent!
Heh...Meisa?
The one who jumped out of the line to the guild was Meisa.
'Kent, where are you going?'
The Guild, but... what about you, Maysa?
"I'm going to the guild and I'm going to Salamander!
What, hey....Meisa?
Meisa is pulling my hand and trying to get back to the procession with me.
The woman who was leading the procession, who may be a teacher, approached me.
She's probably in her early twenties, plump and childlike.
Meisa-chan, you can't leave the queue without permission.
Sir, this Kent is the one who beat the Salamander.
What ... are you sure?
Yeah, he looks like he doesn't believe in it at all, but that's not surprising.
With an unreliable-looking guy younger than me, you don't think you can beat the Salamander, do you?
"Well........yes, I defeated it myself, just in case.
Well, I'm the one who actually defeated him, so I have to answer that, but the kids voiced their doubts.
'Oh no, he doesn't look strong at all.'
Yeah, you're not much different than me.
You can't lie to me, Meisa.
I'm not lying. Kent beat me.
Lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies!
Yeah, you're a liar and a liar, Maysa!
'I am not lying! Kent is a dirty, clumsy, whiny, whiny, dirty, but he doesn't lie, and he has a very strong family.
Neither Meisa and I have never lied to you, but we're in trouble when you ask for proof.
I can't afford to send all my family members out here, can I?
After all, a dirty girl gets told twice.
The doctor intercedes and somehow manages to stop the commotion, but Meisa is squeezing my hand and holding back tears with her lips puckered up.
If I was at least as big as Girik, she would believe me, but I can't grow up all of a sudden.
We joined the guild together, wondering if there was any way to make it better.
The guild at this time of the day, adventurers and others are out on business or requests, and most of the people inside should be the ones who came to ask for work, but it's still somewhat noisy, perhaps due to the effects of the extreme outbreak.
''Ki, you, please stop...''
What? This is not a place for kids to play, you know.
It looks like the man who seems to be the lead teacher is getting hung up on by the adventurers, but that's like yesterday's small fry.
As far as I'm concerned, they're not doing any work in the middle of the day...as far as I'm concerned, they're not good as far as I'm concerned.
But since it's just right, let me use it for a moment.
''Come on, Meisa, you can set up a thug like you did last time.
'What? Umm, um....
I pulled Meisa's hand away from the queue.
He didn't seem to know what she was talking about for a moment, but soon Meisa locked on to the small fishy-looking adventurer.
'Hey! Get your hands off the teacher, punk!
Yeah, the tension in her voice, the dialogue, it's great, 100 points, Meisa!
Jesus Christ, you little shit! Hii........well, demon-user.......
The small fishy adventurer who turned around vigorously even let out a small scream as soon as he saw my face.
''Um........is there some kind of trouble?
No, no, no, it's just... this has all been a little misunderstanding, hasn't it?
Well, in that case, would you please let him go...
Okay, okay ... well, I'm letting him go, I'm not in any trouble ...
The small fishy adventurer let go of my hand from the lead teacher and jiggedly retreated backwards, passing by me and Meisa-chan as if she were snapping at the wall, and then fled out of the guild like a de-rabbit.
''Kent.......you were really strong.......''
Yeah........you didn't believe in it either, Meisa?
What? Because wasn't it Reinhardt's uncles who defeated the Salamanders?
Hmm. Well, I don't know...
'What? What? Did Kent really beat him? Hey, Kent!
Instead of answering Meisa's questions, I walked out to the training ground with a smile on my face.
There were quite a few people who came to watch the salamander at the training ground.
It's hard to see how tall Meisa and the others are, but there's a crowd of people there.
''Hey, it's a demonslayer........''
The Demon King is here....
He's just a little guy...
She's a great magician, you idiot...
As soon as one of them found me and started whispering, it went contagious and all the eyes around me gathered.
I stepped out of Meisa's hand, and the wall of people cracked open to make a path.
'Come on, Meisa-chan, let's go see, and everyone follow me.
'Kent ... wow ...'
Did you ever think about it?
Yeah, he wasn't just a skepler!
Goooooooo....
When I took her up to the Salamander and told her about how we defeated it and how the extreme outbreak happened, and introduced Zhae and the others, Meisa-chan's classmates had a glint in their eyes.
Yeah, now Meisa-chan won't be called a liar, right?
And by the way, I hope my reputation will go up a bit too.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Compensation? Why should I pay for that?
'Well, well, that's.......well, I mean, you summoned us without permission and caused us trouble.......'
"Hmm, I told you first, you chose obedience or death, and you chose obedience.
'No, no....because I couldn't go against that situation...'
Sweat from the pores of my head is running down my temples to my chin.
I can't think straight because I'm in such a hurry to persuade the other person by connecting words somehow, and I can't speak.
I told you that I would give you a reward if you did your job. You want me to give you money after you abandoned your role, that's a hell of a lot to ask.
No, no... because... because... because...
Yes, that's it but this is a long way off.
Both Sato-sensei, who made the stop, and Oda-sensei, who played the role of Camilla, have their heads in their hands.
''I'm sorry...''
Even though I'm not prepared for any of this, umm ... that's terrible.
'Ugh...'
I visited the garrison's temporary quarters first thing in the morning to discuss the negotiations with the teachers.
I've explained to them all about the situation in Riesenburg that Fred and Basten have researched so far, our relationship with the Landsholt Republic, and our situation.
We then confirmed that the top priority in the negotiations would be the same as before: return to the world, followed by an apology and compensation.
And the result of the negotiations was an exercise in negotiation.
"Kokubun-kun...
Yes, what is it?
Can you let us handle this negotiation?
Is this for the teachers?
'Yes, me, Oda-sensei, and all the other teachers, but they haven't helped me at all since I came to this world.
When Sato-sensei looked at him, Oda-sensei nodded his head in agreement.
''As Sato-sensei says, if we continue like this, we'll really remain useless. Of course, I'm going to keep an eye on my students' behavior during their time in this city, but honestly, that's not enough to save our face as teachers.
Oh, I see.
It's true that the only thing the teachers worked on while they escaped from Rustock was checking the students' lists.
''Of course, it was thanks to Kokubun-kun that I was able to escape to Volzard, and I admit that I'm willing to go to negotiations. However.........looking at the current situation, I think it will take some time to be able to negotiate with that princess.
'Surely ... I think the doctor is right.
No, to be honest, my willingness to go into negotiations is not that high.
Besides, if you imagine yourself negotiating in real life, I don't need to tell you who is better suited for the job, me or Oda-sensei.
What Kokubun lacks in experience and what we lack in information, you know which is easier to make up for...?
'Yes, yes, I think I should ask the doctor to negotiate, too. But I'd have to go back to Rustock to negotiate, and of course it would be dangerous...
In order to negotiate in Rastock, you'd have to go through the Demon Forest and you'd be stepping into hostile territory, so it's not exactly safe.
I'm fully aware of that as well. And besides, I don't think it's acceptable as a teacher and an adult to just sit back in safety while Kokubun-kun is getting bloodied up to rescue us.
Of course, we can't ensure safety on our own, so we'll have to rely on Kokubun to keep us safe, which is a shameful state of affairs.
The teachers laughed as they said this.
''What do you think? Reinhardt
I think it would be better if you could help me with this.
'Okay, I'll ask the doctors to negotiate with Camilla and I'll stay on as a bodyguard.
To be honest, I'm really relieved.
If I had gone into negotiations, it would have been worse than the practice we just had.
By the way, Kokubun, if we are going to negotiate, we need to stay in Volzard until those negotiations are concluded. If possible, I'd like to say hello to the person in charge of the city, can you get in touch with him or her?
'Yes, I can ask about Klaus-san's schedule, but I'm sure he's busy cleaning up the mess right now, so I'm not sure when we'll be able to visit him...
Yeah, but the number of demons was amazing. It was like watching a scene from a movie.
'It was really bad for my heart until I got to the city.
It's true that the teachers were right, hordes of goblins in numbers like that can only be seen in the special effects scenes in movies in Japan, and it's not something you want to see when they actually come rushing in to target you.
And unlike the movies and VR games, there was even a nauseating, dense smell of blood, which doubled the horror of the scene.
Anyway, this isn't Japan, or even Earth. "Anyway, this isn't Japan, and this isn't even Earth, so our common sense may not always apply to negotiations. What we need is information. Kokubun, I need more detailed information. Can you compile a few documents for me?
All right, I'll put together what I've found on the Riesenburg.
And, crucially, I need more information on the summons and repatriation.
'Yes, that's the thing, sir...'
Naturally, information on the summons and repatriation must be gathered first and foremost, but it seems to be a secret in the royal family as well, so I have not been able to find any detailed information.
Fred has been searching the garrison in Rastock, and Basten has been sneaking around the castle, but he hasn't been able to find a single piece of information.
I asked him to check the materials in Camilla's office and private room as well, but although there is a description of the general magic circle, I can't find any materials about the summoning technique.
''I see.......it's possible that they were destroyed.......''
''We thought so too, but aside from the material on the summoning technique that's already been done, it's odd that we don't have any material on the repatriation technique we're supposed to be doing, isn't it?
Hmmm I don't really want to think beyond that...
If the reason for the non-existence of the data was as we had imagined it was a dark shadow on the road we were heading down.
''All right, I'll let you continue to explore that one, but I also want to know how well the Kokubun and the subordinates can work.
What we do...?
'Yes, I should say competence. Our greatest strength is undoubtedly Kokubun and his team, and that's directly related to the advantages and disadvantages we're presenting to the Riesenburg side.
Does that mean you're going to threaten to turn us against them, like...?
Depends. And they've been able to control us by force. If you don't let them know what the consequences of their next move on us will be, you can't be sure they won't come to this city for the worst.
''Well if they think we don't have the power to fight on our own, it's going to be bad for Volzard's position and all.
'That's what I mean. Given the nature of the negotiations, it's not something you can simply threaten with force, but if you're perceived as powerless, there's a chance you won't be able to negotiate on an equal footing.
Okay, I'll make sure to get that to you as well.
Having said that, it's better to leave the material on Riesenburg to Fred and Basten than to me to make it.
That's right, you don't have to work hard on your own, but get help from the people around you, that's what a workshare is all about, right? Was it different?
The negotiations had settled down and it was just about lunchtime, so I headed to the cafeteria with the teachers.
'Kokubun, is the second round about to begin?'
Heh ... ugh!
At the end of the road to the cafeteria are the chairman and Manon.
They both notice me and wave at me with a smile, but my face, as I wave back, is twitching.
I mean, why are the two of them together?
'Hello doctor, may I borrow Kenjin and go?'
Yeah, well, that's okay, because we've already taken care of our business.
Let's go, Kent!
Huh? What happened to the story about eating..........well, most of the story is done.
Just like yesterday, I'm taken away with my left arm held by the chairman and my right arm held by Manon.
From the look on their faces, it doesn't look like it's going to rain blood.......
How did you two get together?
What? Would it be a poor thing if me and Manon were together?
Yeah, I'm not, but I was just wondering why, you know.
You know, I'm thinking about learning some healing magic from Yuika.
''Eh, healing magic... well, I didn't know there was a healing magic for the water attribute as well.
Come to think of it, the examination room that the chairman was in also had some kind of bathtub for water-based healing magic, though I didn't use it.
'Oh yeah, Manon, get Kenjin to cast a healing spell on you. He can use a much more powerful healing spell than I can.
You know, I remember you fixed that Kent's fracture yourself.
'Well, yeah, well, I do, but I don't really know what I'm doing to get better.'
But if you ask Kenjin to cast a healing spell on you, you'll somehow understand how to channel or use your magic power, so you can imitate that. I did that and I got a knack for it, too.
'Yeah, well, Kent, can I ask you later?'
Yes, of course.
According to the two of them, they talked about a lot of things while they were shopping yesterday, and the subject of healing magic came up.
So they thought that if Manon could also use healing magic, there would be more places for him to play an active role.
Light-attribute magic is more effective in treating trauma and broken bones, but water-attribute healing magic is said to have a wide range of uses, such as being used as a base for drinking medicines and water to ripen jiboula.
''But if we move on to the healing magic, I feel like we're going to be separated from dungeon exploration, is that okay?
''Hmmm ... I have dreams of exploring dungeons like my dad, but I'm sure we have different attributes and can't do the same thing.
I heard that Manon's father used the earth attribute well to earn money by working in dungeons to collect minerals.
I think I can do it if I just want to hide in dungeons, but it will be difficult to search for minerals there efficiently unless I can use the magic of the earth attribute.
'Well, Kent can move through the shadows, can't he? Seems like it would be easy to hide in a dungeon.
Yeah, if you want to dive, you could go and do it in your bra.
I listened to the story over lunch with them, and I heard that the chairman decided to gain experience as a healer in the garrison's infirmary because of his experience helping during the extreme outbreak.
The garrison's infirmary is said to be the same as Rastok's office, where they also heal the people of the city.
Manon will follow up with his rescued classmates as they do their work, and will go to the garrison's infirmary once every two days to gain experience as well as the chairman of the committee.
'So then, every two days you two are together, like today?
'Yes, because that way you don't have to worry about running off...'
Oh, I'm running out of...
So if you meet Manon in the guild, you're not allowed to make out with him.
'Ugh...'
No sneaking into the Yuica's room, either.
Okay.
The committee chairman and Manon have made a promise not to run out on each other.
That means no hugs or kisses for a while.
I'm going to miss them a bit, but I'll be patient.
We finished our meal while the two of us talked about the doctor's office and I talked about the extreme outbreak and future negotiations.
My classmates who came near me were very interested in the negotiations, and they asked me a lot of questions, but I'm still in the preparation stage, so there's not much I can answer to them.
After we finished eating, we decided to cast a healing spell on Manon as promised.
I put my hand on Manon's back and was about to pour the healing magic on him when the chairman stopped me.
''Wait Kento, I don't mean that, just pour it on in a squeezed state.
Yeah, here?
Of course, you're not allowed to sneak out of the house and you have to do it on my watch.
No, all of my classmates are watching.....Well, it would be nice if it was approved by the chairman.
It was a bit awkward, but I hugged Manon and let the healing magic flow.
''Ah........''
Manon raised a small voice and came to hug me tightly himself.
Yeah, it's a healthy Manon, so it feels like the healing magic is also smoothly circulating throughout my body.
I mean, the boys' vindictive gaze is terribly scary.......
How do you get it, Manon?
Yeah, it's just a little bit, but I can feel it going through my body like this...
'Yeah, yeah, that's it, I think you should be conscious of using magic to recreate that for yourself.
I don't know if I'm the one who's hanging it up right now, but I'm not complaining if it's going to help me in any way.
After that, the chairman and Manon went to the infirmary, and I decided to go to the guild to ask about the meeting schedule with Klaus-san.
''Ah, you know, Kent, about what I was saying earlier...''
What did you mean earlier?
He said he promised Manon he wouldn't run off.
'Oh, yeah, what about it?'
If we promise not to cut corners...
There's another one, isn't there?
Umm... yes.
Right, even though the chairman and Manon promised not to run out on each other, they didn't have a promise to make with Beatrice.
''So.........''
"Manon?
When we were together.
When Manon and I are around...
'Yuioka? Hmm........
Hehehe..............................They kissed me on the cheek from both sides.
Could this be the harem that's developing?
Heh, I'll do it again... ouch.
Kent....
Don't get cocky...
'Yes, I'm sorry...'
There's no need for the two of us to pinch each other's sides together.
After seeing the two of them leave while talking in a somewhat joyful manner, I'll go to the guild to finish my business alone.
Yeah, but I can't stop grinning.
As I'm walking towards the guild, I see some kind of line of people zipping into the guild.
When I go up to see what the line is for, it looks like they are children younger than me.
''Ah! Kent!
Heh...Meisa?
The one who jumped out of the line to the guild was Meisa.
'Kent, where are you going?'
The Guild, but... what about you, Maysa?
"I'm going to the guild and I'm going to Salamander!
What, hey....Meisa?
Meisa is pulling my hand and trying to get back to the procession with me.
The woman who was leading the procession, who may be a teacher, approached me.
She's probably in her early twenties, plump and childlike.
Meisa-chan, you can't leave the queue without permission.
Sir, this Kent is the one who beat the Salamander.
What ... are you sure?
Yeah, he looks like he doesn't believe in it at all, but that's not surprising.
With an unreliable-looking guy younger than me, you don't think you can beat the Salamander, do you?
"Well........yes, I defeated it myself, just in case.
Well, I'm the one who actually defeated him, so I have to answer that, but the kids voiced their doubts.
'Oh no, he doesn't look strong at all.'
Yeah, you're not much different than me.
You can't lie to me, Meisa.
I'm not lying. Kent beat me.
Lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies!
Yeah, you're a liar and a liar, Maysa!
'I am not lying! Kent is a dirty, clumsy, whiny, whiny, dirty, but he doesn't lie, and he has a very strong family.
Neither Meisa and I have never lied to you, but we're in trouble when you ask for proof.
I can't afford to send all my family members out here, can I?
After all, a dirty girl gets told twice.
The doctor intercedes and somehow manages to stop the commotion, but Meisa is squeezing my hand and holding back tears with her lips puckered up.
If I was at least as big as Girik, she would believe me, but I can't grow up all of a sudden.
We joined the guild together, wondering if there was any way to make it better.
The guild at this time of the day, adventurers and others are out on business or requests, and most of the people inside should be the ones who came to ask for work, but it's still somewhat noisy, perhaps due to the effects of the extreme outbreak.
''Ki, you, please stop...''
What? This is not a place for kids to play, you know.
It looks like the man who seems to be the lead teacher is getting hung up on by the adventurers, but that's like yesterday's small fry.
As far as I'm concerned, they're not doing any work in the middle of the day...as far as I'm concerned, they're not good as far as I'm concerned.
But since it's just right, let me use it for a moment.
''Come on, Meisa, you can set up a thug like you did last time.
'What? Umm, um....
I pulled Meisa's hand away from the queue.
He didn't seem to know what she was talking about for a moment, but soon Meisa locked on to the small fishy-looking adventurer.
'Hey! Get your hands off the teacher, punk!
Yeah, the tension in her voice, the dialogue, it's great, 100 points, Meisa!
Jesus Christ, you little shit! Hii........well, demon-user.......
The small fishy adventurer who turned around vigorously even let out a small scream as soon as he saw my face.
''Um........is there some kind of trouble?
No, no, no, it's just... this has all been a little misunderstanding, hasn't it?
Well, in that case, would you please let him go...
Okay, okay ... well, I'm letting him go, I'm not in any trouble ...
The small fishy adventurer let go of my hand from the lead teacher and jiggedly retreated backwards, passing by me and Meisa-chan as if she were snapping at the wall, and then fled out of the guild like a de-rabbit.
''Kent.......you were really strong.......''
Yeah........you didn't believe in it either, Meisa?
What? Because wasn't it Reinhardt's uncles who defeated the Salamanders?
Hmm. Well, I don't know...
'What? What? Did Kent really beat him? Hey, Kent!
Instead of answering Meisa's questions, I walked out to the training ground with a smile on my face.
There were quite a few people who came to watch the salamander at the training ground.
It's hard to see how tall Meisa and the others are, but there's a crowd of people there.
''Hey, it's a demonslayer........''
The Demon King is here....
He's just a little guy...
She's a great magician, you idiot...
As soon as one of them found me and started whispering, it went contagious and all the eyes around me gathered.
I stepped out of Meisa's hand, and the wall of people cracked open to make a path.
'Come on, Meisa-chan, let's go see, and everyone follow me.
'Kent ... wow ...'
Did you ever think about it?
Yeah, he wasn't just a skepler!
Goooooooo....
When I took her up to the Salamander and told her about how we defeated it and how the extreme outbreak happened, and introduced Zhae and the others, Meisa-chan's classmates had a glint in their eyes.
Yeah, now Meisa-chan won't be called a liar, right?
And by the way, I hope my reputation will go up a bit too.
Compensation? Why should I pay for that?'Well, well, that's.......well, I mean, you summoned us without permission and caused us trouble.......'"Hmm, I told you first, you chose obedience or death, and you chose obedience.'No, no....because I couldn't go against that situation...'Sweat from the pores of my head is running down my temples to my chin.I can't think straight because I'm in such a hurry to persuade the other person by connecting words somehow, and I can't speak.I told you that I would give you a reward if you did your job. You want me to give you money after you abandoned your role, that's a hell of a lot to ask.No, no... because... because... because...Yes, that's it but this is a long way off.Both Sato-sensei, who made the stop, and Oda-sensei, who played the role of Camilla, have their heads in their hands.''I'm sorry...''Even though I'm not prepared for any of this, umm ... that's terrible.'Ugh...'I visited the garrison's temporary quarters first thing in the morning to discuss the negotiations with the teachers.I've explained to them all about the situation in Riesenburg that Fred and Basten have researched so far, our relationship with the Landsholt Republic, and our situation.We then confirmed that the top priority in the negotiations would be the same as before: return to the world, followed by an apology and compensation.And the result of the negotiations was an exercise in negotiation."Kokubun-kun...Yes, what is it?Can you let us handle this negotiation?Is this for the teachers?'Yes, me, Oda-sensei, and all the other teachers, but they haven't helped me at all since I came to this world.When Sato-sensei looked at him, Oda-sensei nodded his head in agreement.''As Sato-sensei says, if we continue like this, we'll really remain useless. Of course, I'm going to keep an eye on my students' behavior during their time in this city, but honestly, that's not enough to save our face as teachers.Oh, I see.It's true that the only thing the teachers worked on while they escaped from Rustock was checking the students' lists.''Of course, it was thanks to Kokubun-kun that I was able to escape to Volzard, and I admit that I'm willing to go to negotiations. However.........looking at the current situation, I think it will take some time to be able to negotiate with that princess.'Surely ... I think the doctor is right.No, to be honest, my willingness to go into negotiations is not that high.Besides, if you imagine yourself negotiating in real life, I don't need to tell you who is better suited for the job, me or Oda-sensei.What Kokubun lacks in experience and what we lack in information, you know which is easier to make up for...?'Yes, yes, I think I should ask the doctor to negotiate, too. But I'd have to go back to Rustock to negotiate, and of course it would be dangerous...In order to negotiate in Rastock, you'd have to go through the Demon Forest and you'd be stepping into hostile territory, so it's not exactly safe.I'm fully aware of that as well. And besides, I don't think it's acceptable as a teacher and an adult to just sit back in safety while Kokubun-kun is getting bloodied up to rescue us.Of course, we can't ensure safety on our own, so we'll have to rely on Kokubun to keep us safe, which is a shameful state of affairs.The teachers laughed as they said this.''What do you think? ReinhardtI think it would be better if you could help me with this.'Okay, I'll ask the doctors to negotiate with Camilla and I'll stay on as a bodyguard.To be honest, I'm really relieved.If I had gone into negotiations, it would have been worse than the practice we just had.By the way, Kokubun, if we are going to negotiate, we need to stay in Volzard until those negotiations are concluded. If possible, I'd like to say hello to the person in charge of the city, can you get in touch with him or her?'Yes, I can ask about Klaus-san's schedule, but I'm sure he's busy cleaning up the mess right now, so I'm not sure when we'll be able to visit him...Yeah, but the number of demons was amazing. It was like watching a scene from a movie.'It was really bad for my heart until I got to the city.It's true that the teachers were right, hordes of goblins in numbers like that can only be seen in the special effects scenes in movies in Japan, and it's not something you want to see when they actually come rushing in to target you.And unlike the movies and VR games, there was even a nauseating, dense smell of blood, which doubled the horror of the scene.Anyway, this isn't Japan, or even Earth. "Anyway, this isn't Japan, and this isn't even Earth, so our common sense may not always apply to negotiations. What we need is information. Kokubun, I need more detailed information. Can you compile a few documents for me?All right, I'll put together what I've found on the Riesenburg.And, crucially, I need more information on the summons and repatriation.'Yes, that's the thing, sir...'Naturally, information on the summons and repatriation must be gathered first and foremost, but it seems to be a secret in the royal family as well, so I have not been able to find any detailed information.Fred has been searching the garrison in Rastock, and Basten has been sneaking around the castle, but he hasn't been able to find a single piece of information.I asked him to check the materials in Camilla's office and private room as well, but although there is a description of the general magic circle, I can't find any materials about the summoning technique.''I see.......it's possible that they were destroyed.......''''We thought so too, but aside from the material on the summoning technique that's already been done, it's odd that we don't have any material on the repatriation technique we're supposed to be doing, isn't it?Hmmm I don't really want to think beyond that...If the reason for the non-existence of the data was as we had imagined it was a dark shadow on the road we were heading down.''All right, I'll let you continue to explore that one, but I also want to know how well the Kokubun and the subordinates can work.What we do...?'Yes, I should say competence. Our greatest strength is undoubtedly Kokubun and his team, and that's directly related to the advantages and disadvantages we're presenting to the Riesenburg side.Does that mean you're going to threaten to turn us against them, like...?Depends. And they've been able to control us by force. If you don't let them know what the consequences of their next move on us will be, you can't be sure they won't come to this city for the worst.''Well if they think we don't have the power to fight on our own, it's going to be bad for Volzard's position and all.'That's what I mean. Given the nature of the negotiations, it's not something you can simply threaten with force, but if you're perceived as powerless, there's a chance you won't be able to negotiate on an equal footing.Okay, I'll make sure to get that to you as well.Having said that, it's better to leave the material on Riesenburg to Fred and Basten than to me to make it.That's right, you don't have to work hard on your own, but get help from the people around you, that's what a workshare is all about, right? Was it different?The negotiations had settled down and it was just about lunchtime, so I headed to the cafeteria with the teachers.'Kokubun, is the second round about to begin?'Heh ... ugh!At the end of the road to the cafeteria are the chairman and Manon.They both notice me and wave at me with a smile, but my face, as I wave back, is twitching.I mean, why are the two of them together?'Hello doctor, may I borrow Kenjin and go?'Yeah, well, that's okay, because we've already taken care of our business.Let's go, Kent!Huh? What happened to the story about eating..........well, most of the story is done.Just like yesterday, I'm taken away with my left arm held by the chairman and my right arm held by Manon.From the look on their faces, it doesn't look like it's going to rain blood.......How did you two get together?What? Would it be a poor thing if me and Manon were together?Yeah, I'm not, but I was just wondering why, you know.You know, I'm thinking about learning some healing magic from Yuika.''Eh, healing magic... well, I didn't know there was a healing magic for the water attribute as well.Come to think of it, the examination room that the chairman was in also had some kind of bathtub for water-based healing magic, though I didn't use it.'Oh yeah, Manon, get Kenjin to cast a healing spell on you. He can use a much more powerful healing spell than I can.You know, I remember you fixed that Kent's fracture yourself.'Well, yeah, well, I do, but I don't really know what I'm doing to get better.'But if you ask Kenjin to cast a healing spell on you, you'll somehow understand how to channel or use your magic power, so you can imitate that. I did that and I got a knack for it, too.'Yeah, well, Kent, can I ask you later?'Yes, of course.According to the two of them, they talked about a lot of things while they were shopping yesterday, and the subject of healing magic came up.So they thought that if Manon could also use healing magic, there would be more places for him to play an active role.Light-attribute magic is more effective in treating trauma and broken bones, but water-attribute healing magic is said to have a wide range of uses, such as being used as a base for drinking medicines and water to ripen jiboula.''But if we move on to the healing magic, I feel like we're going to be separated from dungeon exploration, is that okay?''Hmmm ... I have dreams of exploring dungeons like my dad, but I'm sure we have different attributes and can't do the same thing.I heard that Manon's father used the earth attribute well to earn money by working in dungeons to collect minerals.I think I can do it if I just want to hide in dungeons, but it will be difficult to search for minerals there efficiently unless I can use the magic of the earth attribute.'Well, Kent can move through the shadows, can't he? Seems like it would be easy to hide in a dungeon.Yeah, if you want to dive, you could go and do it in your bra.I listened to the story over lunch with them, and I heard that the chairman decided to gain experience as a healer in the garrison's infirmary because of his experience helping during the extreme outbreak.The garrison's infirmary is said to be the same as Rastok's office, where they also heal the people of the city.Manon will follow up with his rescued classmates as they do their work, and will go to the garrison's infirmary once every two days to gain experience as well as the chairman of the committee.'So then, every two days you two are together, like today?'Yes, because that way you don't have to worry about running off...'Oh, I'm running out of...So if you meet Manon in the guild, you're not allowed to make out with him.'Ugh...'No sneaking into the Yuica's room, either.Okay.The committee chairman and Manon have made a promise not to run out on each other.That means no hugs or kisses for a while.I'm going to miss them a bit, but I'll be patient.We finished our meal while the two of us talked about the doctor's office and I talked about the extreme outbreak and future negotiations.My classmates who came near me were very interested in the negotiations, and they asked me a lot of questions, but I'm still in the preparation stage, so there's not much I can answer to them.After we finished eating, we decided to cast a healing spell on Manon as promised.I put my hand on Manon's back and was about to pour the healing magic on him when the chairman stopped me.''Wait Kento, I don't mean that, just pour it on in a squeezed state.Yeah, here?Of course, you're not allowed to sneak out of the house and you have to do it on my watch.No, all of my classmates are watching.....Well, it would be nice if it was approved by the chairman.It was a bit awkward, but I hugged Manon and let the healing magic flow.''Ah........''Manon raised a small voice and came to hug me tightly himself.Yeah, it's a healthy Manon, so it feels like the healing magic is also smoothly circulating throughout my body.I mean, the boys' vindictive gaze is terribly scary.......How do you get it, Manon?Yeah, it's just a little bit, but I can feel it going through my body like this...'Yeah, yeah, that's it, I think you should be conscious of using magic to recreate that for yourself.I don't know if I'm the one who's hanging it up right now, but I'm not complaining if it's going to help me in any way.After that, the chairman and Manon went to the infirmary, and I decided to go to the guild to ask about the meeting schedule with Klaus-san.''Ah, you know, Kent, about what I was saying earlier...''What did you mean earlier?He said he promised Manon he wouldn't run off.'Oh, yeah, what about it?'If we promise not to cut corners...There's another one, isn't there?Umm... yes.Right, even though the chairman and Manon promised not to run out on each other, they didn't have a promise to make with Beatrice.''So.........''"Manon?When we were together.When Manon and I are around...'Yuioka? Hmm........Hehehe..............................They kissed me on the cheek from both sides.Could this be the harem that's developing?Heh, I'll do it again... ouch.Kent....Don't get cocky...'Yes, I'm sorry...'There's no need for the two of us to pinch each other's sides together.After seeing the two of them leave while talking in a somewhat joyful manner, I'll go to the guild to finish my business alone.Yeah, but I can't stop grinning.As I'm walking towards the guild, I see some kind of line of people zipping into the guild.When I go up to see what the line is for, it looks like they are children younger than me.''Ah! Kent!Heh...Meisa?The one who jumped out of the line to the guild was Meisa.'Kent, where are you going?'The Guild, but... what about you, Maysa?"I'm going to the guild and I'm going to Salamander!What, hey....Meisa?Meisa is pulling my hand and trying to get back to the procession with me.The woman who was leading the procession, who may be a teacher, approached me.She's probably in her early twenties, plump and childlike.Meisa-chan, you can't leave the queue without permission.Sir, this Kent is the one who beat the Salamander.What ... are you sure?Yeah, he looks like he doesn't believe in it at all, but that's not surprising.With an unreliable-looking guy younger than me, you don't think you can beat the Salamander, do you?"Well........yes, I defeated it myself, just in case.Well, I'm the one who actually defeated him, so I have to answer that, but the kids voiced their doubts.'Oh no, he doesn't look strong at all.'Yeah, you're not much different than me.You can't lie to me, Meisa.I'm not lying. Kent beat me.Lies, lies, lies, lies, lies, lies!Yeah, you're a liar and a liar, Maysa!'I am not lying! Kent is a dirty, clumsy, whiny, whiny, dirty, but he doesn't lie, and he has a very strong family.Neither Meisa and I have never lied to you, but we're in trouble when you ask for proof.I can't afford to send all my family members out here, can I?After all, a dirty girl gets told twice.The doctor intercedes and somehow manages to stop the commotion, but Meisa is squeezing my hand and holding back tears with her lips puckered up.If I was at least as big as Girik, she would believe me, but I can't grow up all of a sudden.We joined the guild together, wondering if there was any way to make it better.The guild at this time of the day, adventurers and others are out on business or requests, and most of the people inside should be the ones who came to ask for work, but it's still somewhat noisy, perhaps due to the effects of the extreme outbreak.''Ki, you, please stop...''What? This is not a place for kids to play, you know.It looks like the man who seems to be the lead teacher is getting hung up on by the adventurers, but that's like yesterday's small fry.As far as I'm concerned, they're not doing any work in the middle of the day...as far as I'm concerned, they're not good as far as I'm concerned.But since it's just right, let me use it for a moment.''Come on, Meisa, you can set up a thug like you did last time.'What? Umm, um....I pulled Meisa's hand away from the queue.He didn't seem to know what she was talking about for a moment, but soon Meisa locked on to the small fishy-looking adventurer.'Hey! Get your hands off the teacher, punk!Yeah, the tension in her voice, the dialogue, it's great, 100 points, Meisa!Jesus Christ, you little shit! Hii........well, demon-user.......The small fishy adventurer who turned around vigorously even let out a small scream as soon as he saw my face.''Um........is there some kind of trouble?No, no, no, it's just... this has all been a little misunderstanding, hasn't it?Well, in that case, would you please let him go...Okay, okay ... well, I'm letting him go, I'm not in any trouble ...The small fishy adventurer let go of my hand from the lead teacher and jiggedly retreated backwards, passing by me and Meisa-chan as if she were snapping at the wall, and then fled out of the guild like a de-rabbit.''Kent.......you were really strong.......''Yeah........you didn't believe in it either, Meisa?What? Because wasn't it Reinhardt's uncles who defeated the Salamanders?Hmm. Well, I don't know...'What? What?Did Kent really beat him?Hey, Kent!Instead of answering Meisa's questions, I walked out to the training ground with a smile on my face.There were quite a few people who came to watch the salamander at the training ground.It's hard to see how tall Meisa and the others are, but there's a crowd of people there.''Hey, it's a demonslayer........''The Demon King is here....He's just a little guy...She's a great magician, you idiot...As soon as one of them found me and started whispering, it went contagious and all the eyes around me gathered.I stepped out of Meisa's hand, and the wall of people cracked open to make a path.'Come on, Meisa-chan, let's go see, and everyone follow me.'Kent ... wow ...'Did you ever think about it?Yeah, he wasn't just a skepler!Goooooooo....When I took her up to the Salamander and told her about how we defeated it and how the extreme outbreak happened, and introduced Zhae and the others, Meisa-chan's classmates had a glint in their eyes.Yeah, now Meisa-chan won't be called a liar, right?And by the way, I hope my reputation will go up a bit too.
