Chapter 47: Chapter 33: Dispute

Chapter 33

Dispute

“No way... half!? Impossible!”

“It’s a situation calling for that Ark isn’t it!? When in the first place we were at a number where we would only just get by!?”

What has happened here?

To the uproar in front of me, I couldn’t hide my bewilderment.

Eva was looking at me with dumbfounded eyes.

At the members that had started a tumultuous loud dispute, I observed the situation without saying anything.

No...was there something odd about what I said?

While it was patting ourselves on the back a bit, 『Footprints』 was one of the top class clans in the Capital. In fact, compared to the average, our ability was much higher.

Originally there were two purposes in creating the clan.

The first ― was to withdraw from the front under the pretext of clan management. And the second ― was to strengthen the interaction with other parties, and to refine the sociability of the members of 『Strange Grief』.

One thing about having too much talent, was that it was lonely. Outstanding talent keeps the merely talented at a distance.

In the case of 『Strange Grief』, all the members except me were blessed with

unparalleled talent, so they weren’t alone.

But it was for this reason that exchanges with other parties became delayed, that’s what I had felt back then.

Therefore, when 『Footprints』 was created, the founding parties had been selected based off of their talent and age.

If they were close in age and their talent was at least as good as Luke and the rest, they would probably accept them.

Through interaction, the members of 『Strange Grief』 (mainly Luke and Liz)

could raise their sociability to a large degree. And ultimately, in place of me that was holding everyone back, a member could be added from the outside.

I held faint expectations, and we approached every party with names that reverberated throughout the Capital in those days.

With all members holding abilities in recovery, and capturing high difficulty shines with the lowest amounts of casualties, 『Iron Cross』.

Multiple Magi specialising in attack magic, and unrivalled in regard to their ability in wide area annihilation, 『Starlight』.

Rigorous discipline and systematic training, with more than ten members holding high ability, 『Torch Knights』.

And above all, considered to 『Strange Grief』 as rivals, 『Arch Brave』.

Astonishingly the negotiations went smoothly. The other members apart from me approved of my thoughts, and each member agreed to negotiate with a party they had a high opinion of.

We still haven’t perfectly achieved my original purposes yet, but the outcome was excellent. I was able to depart from the front, and Liz-chan and Luke were also... better off than if the clan hadn’t been created.

Getting back on track, each founding member of the clan was distinguished, which started the clan off with fanfare. It was natural that the hunters in this clan were superior.

I think it was probably motivating. However for the next parties after that, we added suitable ones regardless of ability.

Footprints still preserved it’s elite reputation, and it was judged as a clan still in the middle of it’s growth.

The members assembled here now shouldn’t be making such an uproar.

Ark was exceptionally strong but I chose him because he was the most reassuring, and also the easiest to ask. Not that I thought he was absolutely necessary.

Unpleasant to think of calmly, a situation that absolutely required Ark would be way too crazy. What would that even be?

I looked to Eva who had gathered this many hunters in such a short time.

In the first place, I had told Gark-san I would give complete cooperation with a meaning full of empty politeness, but this was seriously overdoing it. You really gathered a lot didn’t you...

Well, I already knew Eva was excellent a long time ago, but I had one thing making me uneasy.

To mobilise hunters it took money. Who was going to put out the cost...

I was the one that said we would give complete cooperation. That’s why I said to go with just half.

Eva caught my gaze, and with an earnest expression and with a nod, she spoke in a voice that echoed throughout the entrance.

“Everyone, quiet down, Cry-san has something to say.”

At her voice, all members immediately stopped their discussions, and looked this way.

At their painfully silent gazes, I cleared my throat once to gloss over things.

Really... Cry-san has something to say? ...Which Cry-san is that? No, isn’t it fine? It should be fine.

While I was wondering what to say, my inner thoughts were in turmoil so I bluffed with a smile.

“Now now, calm down, everyone. If you think calmly, the shrine in this case was originally level 3. So there’s no need to worry.”

“That’s a lie!”

The one that shouted out first was a Magi hunter in a black robe.

A hunter much stronger than me was glaring at me with a horrified expression. It wasn’t a lie ok. I wouldn’t tell lies. I don’t tell them ok.

“To begin with, branch chief Gark will also be mobilising other parties. It’s not solely our problem. Certainly, at the moment the White Wolves Den is more dangerous than usual. It’s not like I don’t understand your concern...”

Generally it shouldn’t be a deeply held desire to trample down Shrines with absolute firepower. Because they were what you might call, adventurers.

To my logical persuasion, for some reason everyone’s expressions were unchanged. They truly held no faith at all.

The look in Tino’s eyes was also extremely cold. Well, she had a previous offence at the White Wolves Den just the other day so it couldn’t be helped...

Was there a strange thing in what I said...?

I looked back out at the hunters with my head tilted in confusion, but my eyes strayed away.

I had been out of the hunter trade for quite a while. Did my way of thinking become rose coloured?

When you receive that much extra rejection, you start to feel like you might have made a mistake somewhere.

I didn’t hold that much confidence in myself from the start. I asked a quick question to Eva next to me.

“What do you think?”

“...The situation is the situation this time. Isn’t it better to have room for extra allowances?”

“...Right...”

Apparently, Eva also seemed to agree with the others. I gave the surrounding members a look over.

Looking carefully there were a lot, but not many of the top tier were here. Of course Ark that been called on by the nobles wasn’t, but also parties like Iron and Starlight were missing.

Well, our top tier were quite busy, so it wasn’t that strange.

But even so, I still thought they had an excessive amount of power.

With this many fully motivated hunters heading to the White Wolves Den, there wouldn’t even be weeds left when they were finished.

“Right, what if some parties were left out, how about that?”

Even leaving out the issue of rewards, if all the parties of Footprints were gone, who would I rely on if something were to happen?

Of course, I couldn’t say a shameful thing like that even if I wanted to.

To my careless manner, one hunter breathed roughly through his nostrils as he raised a protest.

“Master, no one here asked for any more added than this! It wasn’t a problem you know?”

“Right...”

“The first thing, is that we’re part of the same clan but we belong to different parties. We will work together, but we aren’t obligated to obey your orders. Or else, if there’s a dire reason you need to reduce the amount, then tell us!”

“Right... that’s a reasonable opinion.”

Behind him several hunters nodded in agreement. You guys really don’t want the amount to be reduced.

You’re always so daring and brave, what’s there to be so scared about... But, really...

This time I had told Gark-san I would cooperate, but it wasn’t saying we would volunteer.

Well since the motto of our guild was freedom, the entrustment of requests was left to each persons own judgement, the clan masters role was handling the pay accordingly.

“Eva, can everyone here be rewarded properly? The other sides budget isn’t infinite. I don’t think they could afford this many could they?”

The request was originally commissioned by the Empire. The budget was decided by the degree of difficulty hypothesised from the investigation results.

This time the shrine had a major abnormality, but I didn’t think it was to the point of hiring half of 『Footprints』.

As I was still unable to let it go, Eva replied with a prim look.

“It seems like it won’t be a problem. Branch chief Gark is drawing a supplemental budget from the country. I can confirm that it is adequate.”

“Seriously? To swing enough budget to hire this many high level hunters... that’s amazing.”

The Empire wasn’t stingy, but there needed to be some basis to increase the estimated budget.

Which would mean... the hunters that first investigated found something?

They didn’t seem to know anything when they came to talk with me, but there was the chance that they discovered something new while I was on the date with Liz.

And, because of that cause for concern, our elite were nervous about a decrease in personnel.

Yep, that’s most likely.

I felt like the puzzle pieces had finally fit together.

So those in my vicinity wouldn’t notice, I breathed a short sigh of relief.

It was good that our members weren’t people that would just accept my words without question. I nearly made the same mistake as I did with Tino.

But if they had found out new information, then I wish they would tell me about it beforehand.

Well even if I did know, it wasn’t as if I could do anything about it.

When I looked at Eva to confirm, as usual her glasses shined as she nodded.

“Yes. Apparently it seems that branch chief Gark used the information he obtained from Cry-san as the justification.”

“Oh-“

??? I don’t understand what you’re saying at all.

I didn’t know what I could possibly say, so I tried to give a dignified nod in agreement.

Is there another Cry-san inside the city? Like an incredible store of intelligence... if a person like that existed, then by all means share them.

Did I give out such important information? Frowning, I tilted my head in contemplation. I didn’t know. I had said I’d cooperate.

I just said that if Ark was here then I’d send him, but he wasn’t here.

I didn’t say anything concrete, exactly how was it presented to become basis enough to convince the country...?

Ah-, it would have been better if I didn’t say I would cooperate.

I didn’t have any obligation to do so separately, I should’ve just said that I was busy with a separate matter so I couldn’t do anything.

There’s no use crying about something that was already said.

...Ah-, I want to throw up. With things like this will it be my fault if nothing ended up happening?

Pressing down on my forehead, I fell into self-loathing.

Why was my mouth like this, flapping so easily? It became like this because I spoke so carelessly... Well, I think there was also a problem with Kaina-san and the others that interpreted my words in a strange way.

Now then what’s to be done... the amount that’s accomplished should correspond to the budget. My sole high level skill I had pride in of kneeling down to apologise wouldn’t be accepted here.

In front of me, the eyes of the gathered members pierced into me.

Everyone had grave looks. As I didn’t have to bargain down the expense, there was no reason to reduce the hunters.

Even if the number of our members joining was reduced, other hunters would be hired to fill in the budget anyway.

Hmm......am I stuck?

Being on the receiving end of everyones eyes made me let out a groan, and without being able to come up with anything I gave up.

“......Well, fine.” “Eh!?”

I didn’t even say anything. I didn’t mean for this to become so serious.

I just said we would cooperate. Gark-san was the one that decided to increase the budget.

If the Empire’s side said something, Gark-san would probably do something to deal with it. No matter what they said I would use my other high level skill and ignore them while looking the other way.

“Eh...it’s fine, you say? Master? Everyone can really go?”

“Well, if you all say you want to like that, I don’t have the right to stop you.” Do whatever you like. Whatever.

To me who was already in give up mode, the assembled members had the subtle expression as if they had been thrown to the floor.

Don’t come complaining if the difficulty is lower than expected. I said you should go with less. Since I said so.

Then, from behind I heard a voice that I didn’t want to hear right now. The expressions of the lined up hunters became stiff.

Without the sound of footsteps a soft feeling clung onto my back, and slender arms crossed in front of my body.

“You endlessly say worthless things, if you want to flock together so much, why don’t you just quit being hunters?”

“Liz, shouldn’t you stop saying things that could be misunderstood as you making light of people?”

After the date, she seemed to be in a really good mood today.

Tino automatically moved behind a hunter with a large build to hide herself.

I couldn’t see her expression since she was behind someone, but undoubtedly she had to be laughing at Liz from just now.

“Misunderstood that I was making light of them? I was making light of them though. I didn’t even yell. That’s because that’s just the way it is right?”

In a syrupy tone, she spoke to admonish all the hunters here.

She didn’t yell, but the feeling of intimidation was no less than usual.

“It’s true that Cry-chan’s demands are always hopelessly high, but hunters that are afraid of death can’t do anything. That’s why I – would never refuse.”

And I heard words that I absolutely couldn’t ignore.

...Eh? Wait a moment...hopelessly, high? Seriously?

Liz was someone that did things without thinking, but she was an elite hunter. Something hopelessly high from her judgement, meant that my own judgement was fundamentally mistaken.

“...It’s not high.”

I gave an objection in a small muttered voice. The hugging arms increased their strength a little.

“That’s because... 『Severed Shadow』, you’re strong.” To one hunters rebuttal, Liz let out a short chuckle.

“Cry-chan’s exasperation, I also understand it... It’s why, no matter how much time passes, you never move forward. Hey, do you want that kind of comfort?”

Exasperation? No, I wasn’t exasperated though? When was I exasperated?

I was satisfied with the current state of 『Footprints』. I was thinking that if they were so afraid, then I might have to agree with Liz’s judgement that my demands were hopelessly high.

Rather it’s a good thing to be cautious. I decided not to stop the hunters that simply didn’t want to die. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Well, it’s fine. It doesn’t really matter to me... rather, I should be thankful to them for refusing.”

And, while still being on the receiving end of everybody’s gaze, Liz spoke to me in a spoiled voice.

“Hey, Cry-chan? Can you let me and Tee take this request? Isn’t it ok? The phantoms of the White Wolves Den are perfect for training, they’re just right. The others don’t need to come.”

“Eh....!?”

The elite that were familiar with these things became noisy.

Tino let out a scream of fright. Tino, haven’t you had bad luck these days? Liz was writing letters on my chest with her hands while she continued.

“That’s right. Really if it’s something that needed Ark-chan, then Tino is going to be put into danger, but I want that all the more. Anthem-nii also isn’t here, there’s no healer, our limbs might go missing, and it can’t be helped if a few internal organs come out, Cry-chan you have one don’t you? A high elixer. Hey? Please.”

The voice whispering close to my ear was sweet and warm.

This child, she planned to keep fighting even if her limbs were torn off... Tino was shaking like a frightened puppy. I smiled and spoke clearly. “Nope.”

“Ehhh, whyy?”

How should I say it, you, really can’t act together in a group.

It’s rejected ok. Rejected. Even without us there were other groups going to the White Wolves Den, so I could’t send just you.

It’s not about being strong. The sociability that Liz had gained was at the most the ability to half kill instead of murder, she was probably more terrifying than the Phantoms.

I wasn’t going this time either.

And besides, no matter how you saw it... Tino was too pitiful.

As Liz raised her voice in complaint I stroked her arm to soothe her, and I made a serious expression.

“Sorry but, just now, the situation has changed. I was saying to reduce the numbers, but I’m withdrawing that. As Eva chose, we’ll go with everyone here.”

“....!?”

“Be careful not to be careless just because it’s a shrine with a lower level.”

From me swiftly going back on my words, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. For some reason a few of them were shaking with clattering teeth.

Now then, after this I’ll get Liz to tell me what she saw that was so 『hopelessly bad』 about this request.

Translator Notes

Starlight was mentioned in an early chapter, but was only given the Kanji (Stars Sacred Lightning). The Kanji for high elixer was divine medicine of creation.