Chapter 21 - The Starting Line
We walked back to the building where Jallens was waiting, trying to act as normal as possible despite the lingering stares from the neighborhood.
"Jallens, we've settled things with the Bruno Gang. You don't have to worry about this building anymore."
"R-really? I'm surprised it was so quick."
"I'll give you the details later."
Jallens chuckled, more in exasperation than surprise. "You must be tired. Would you like to rest a bit?"
"Probably, but I'm not that exhausted. I want to hear the rest of what you were saying before."
"Of course. Let's continue from where we left off."
As we walked through the building, Jallens explained that my first impression wasn't far off. This building was originally an office for a prominent merchant in the Royal Capital, built quite a while ago. It was indeed old, but that was simply because it was built a long time ago.
The basic structure of the building was straightforward. The ground floor was a garage, the second floor had offices and a large kitchen with a dining area, the third floor had meeting rooms and a library, and the fourth floor was living quarters. The basement had a spacious warehouse, making it suitable for our large group.
However, if we were all to live here, we'd need to renovate the third and fourth floors. The other floors weren't suitable for living as they were, and while it was possible to live on the fourth floor, a proper renovation would make it much more comfortable. Without it, the stress would pile up.
Jallens introduced us to a reliable contractor, and it seemed we could trust them to handle the job.
"Anyway, I'd like to buy furniture and other essentials from the stores and workshops on this street. It's a sudden decision, but since this place will be our territory, it's a good idea to introduce ourselves while placing orders."
"Wow, I see. It's a pretty good building. A bit old, but it should be fine after a renovation."
"Since the Bruno Gang is no longer a problem, there's no better deal than this. Of course, we won't suddenly raise the rent on you."
That was a given.
The others were already excited about moving in and discussing the interior design. Before we got too carried away, I decided to update everyone on the Bruno Gang situation.
"Before we talk about living here, I should tell you what happened with the Bruno Gang."
"There were a lot of details, you said. Did something go wrong?"
Frederica looked intrigued, and everyone else seemed curious. The room fell silent.
"Hmm, not exactly. When the Bruno Gang's boss asked who we were, Siegrune answered that we were the Kikyo Society."
"The Kikyo Society? So you're starting a new organization with Yukarinowe-sama and everyone?"
Jallens seemed more interested as a member of the Commerce Guild than out of curiosity.
"The Kikyo Society. Well, it's too late to back out now."
"Yukari-dono, I want to join!"
"I'll follow Onee-sama."
"We're in this together."
"Wow, this sounds fun!"
"Sounds good, sounds good. Let's do it!"
Siegrune was delighted, and the others were just going along with the flow. I couldn't really blame them.
It seemed everyone was on board with the idea.
Even the villagers, like Sophie-san and Mary-san, were enthusiastic. I wasn't sure what had driven them to this, but it was clear they were caught up in the moment.
"Well, if that's the case, I'll have to commit too. From today, we're all part of the Kikyo Society. We'll work together. And since we're a society, we need a president. That would be..."
"Of course, it has to be Onee-sama."
Valeria took the lead, and everyone else nodded in agreement.
"Seems like I have no choice. But everyone needs to pull their weight, so be prepared."
"Yukari-dono, what kind of work do you have in mind?"
We hadn't really discussed what the Kikyo Society would do, but that didn't stop it from being formed.
"We'll be busy, I think. But let's start with what Bruno told us. I want to hear everyone's thoughts. Jallens-san, what do you think?"
"Of course. What do you have to say?"
When I explained the deal with the Bruno Gang, the reaction was mostly excitement, mingled with a bit of surprise.
It was clear that taking over a contested territory with the potential for big profits was a big deal.
No one was backing down, which was good.
To succeed, we needed the kind of determination that would let us face any challenge.
With this group, I had a feeling we could accomplish anything.
According to Jallens, the Commerce Guild was also concerned about the contested territory. There had been multiple skirmishes in the city, affecting business, and the guild had received complaints. However, the city's security forces were too weak to handle the situation, so it had been mostly left unchecked.
"Yukarinowe-sama, you secured Sixth Avenue on your first day in the city. What can I say?"
"It's hard to believe just from hearing about it. We'll have to see it for ourselves."
"We just need to show our strength. It's that simple."
"You don't even need to get involved, Onee-sama."
"Just knock anyone who gets in our way out cold, right?"
"That's how we usually do it."
"Easy, easy."
They were all eager to show their strength.
But I knew brute force alone wouldn't earn us any money.
"Yukari, I think it's fine to start that way."
"Hmm. Frederica, showing strength is important, but what about greeting the artisans and checking out empty stores? Should we put those off?"
"Yes, we should focus on demonstrating our power first. Once we've resolved all the issues and our presence is well-known, the artisans will be more accepting. There's no shortage of problems to solve."
Frederica, as our strategic thinker, had a good plan. Showing strength and solving problems would build trust. It was a two-for-one deal.
"Alright, let's go with that plan. We have the funds for now, and we can focus on making money later."
We still needed to talk to the Bruno Gang for information on the area and potential rivals. They knew the area best and could be valuable guides initially.
The list of tasks was growing.
"By the way, Yukarinowe-sama, are you planning to buy this building?"
"Oh, right. Yeah, we've come this far, so we might as well buy it. How much does it cost?"
I hadn't actually asked about the price.
If it was too expensive, we might need a loan. I didn't want to start with debt, but it might be necessary to keep some funds for other expenses.
"Normally, it would cost at least a billion."
"A billion, huh."
"Yes, but since it's a difficult property to sell, it's being offered at the lowest price. The total is fifty million Gist."
I didn't know if that was a fair price, but I trusted Jallens.
"Fifty million, huh? That's the lowest price?"
I had a lot of money, but fifty million still seemed high. Jallens' expression didn't waver when I tried to negotiate.
"The price is non-negotiable. As a representative of the Commerce Guild, I can't go any lower. However, I'll cover all additional fees, so there will be no extra charges."
The various fees for a fifty million Gist property would be significant. For Jallens to offer to cover them was a big deal.
Well, if he was willing to go that far, I couldn't push it any further.
"Wait, Yukari, how much did we get from the treasure we took from the bandits?"
I realized I hadn't mentioned it yet. Everyone looked at me expectantly.
"Actually, it was a lot. Two hundred million."
The room buzzed with excitement, turning into cheers.
Even though we had an estimate, the actual amount was impressive. The cheers were a natural reaction.
"More than we expected. After deducting fifty million, that leaves ten million per person. I think it's fair."
"If there are no objections, we'll do it that way. What do you think?"
Everyone agreed, and the Kikyo Society had its first headquarters.
We couldn't buy it right away, though. We needed to go through the procedures at the Commerce Guild and register as residents. Jallens would help us with the paperwork, but we'd still need to visit the administrative office for the final steps.
The paperwork at the Commerce Guild went smoothly with Jallens' help, and we paid fifty million Gist in cash to complete the purchase.
It felt like we had acquired the building without fully appreciating the excitement and anticipation. I was happy, and I hoped it would feel even better once we moved in.
We still needed a renovation and furniture, so it would be a while before we could move in.
"Alright, let's assign tasks and get started."
We immediately began our tasks.
First, I asked Jallens to recommend a reliable renovation contractor. I left the interior design to Frederica, Sophie, and anyone else interested. I didn't care much about the specifics, but I trusted them to make it a suitable headquarters. They would handle the initial research, and I'd make the final decisions.
I decided to cover all the small expenses myself. I didn't want to collect small amounts from everyone, and as the president, I could afford it. It wasn't cheap, but it was within reason. In return, I might ask for a few favors.
While we were renovating, we would stay at an inn. I didn't want to cause any trouble for the inn or Jallens by drawing attention or inviting attacks. As newcomers, we needed to be cautious.
That first night in Exembra, we had a civilized dinner. After a busy day with little food, we were starving.
The meal was standard for a typical inn, but for us, it was a feast. The smell of fish, which we hadn't had in the camp, was almost overwhelming.
The villagers might have been a bit taken aback by our enthusiasm.
"Let's eat, then."
We started eating in a daze. Despite the simple, home-cooked meal, I felt tears streaming down my face. I couldn't stop them, but I savored every moment of this bliss.
We had planned to go to a tavern after dinner, but most of us were so full that we just went to bed. It was understandable.
We woke up early the next morning. We had a lot to do, but it was still early, so we decided to enjoy a leisurely breakfast. Valeria and Frederica, who had woken up at the same time, joined me in the dining room.
Freshly baked bread, a salad, a hearty soup, and a variety of fruits—it was a feast in itself. I was touched by the quality of each dish. Civilized meals were truly a source of joy.
This was probably standard for an inn, but it highlighted how terrible the camp had been.
After breakfast, I read the newspaper. It was a nice touch that the inn provided newspapers and magazines. I wanted to catch up on recent events.
Reading the news, I saw that there hadn't been any major changes in the past few days. The civil war in Retnark continued, and the former territory of the Kingdom of Brenark was deteriorating into chaos. It was a concerning situation.
But as a new organization, we had no right to criticize. To outsiders, the Kikyo Society might just be another group of troublemakers.
The local newspaper, published by the Newspaper Guild, included detailed local news. It was fascinating and worth reading regularly.
We spent the morning relaxing and had lunch together before starting our tasks for the day.
"I'll go see the Bruno Gang again. Siegrune, Valeria, and Josephine will come with me."
"Understood, Onee-sama."
Siegrune and Valeria agreed, and Josephine nodded. It was still early, and I couldn't fully trust Bruno yet. I needed Siegrune and Valeria's strength, and Josephine's strategic mind.
"Everyone else, go to the Commerce Guild and discuss the renovation. I'll leave it to you."
"We'll try to keep the budget reasonable, but we'll do what we want. We'll handle it."
"Alright."
With Frederica in charge, they would balance everyone's requests and ensure a good result. I trusted them to make the right decisions and to keep costs reasonable.
I also asked the fighters, including Angelina, to provide security for the others.
"Meet back at the inn by dinner time. See you then."
We set off immediately.
Sarah-chan, holding Sophie-san's hand, ran forward with a bright smile. Kids should be like that.
"Let's go. And, before we leave..."
"Yukari-dono?"
We were the Kikyo Society. Everyone needed to wear the Kikyo emblem. I had only given them to the former camp members, so I needed to give one to Siegrune before we left. I also needed to make some for Sophie-san and the others.
"Siegrune, here's a Kikyo emblem. Everyone should wear one."
I wanted the emblem to be recognized as a symbol of strength in the city, especially among the underworld.
My goal was to make the Kikyo Society untouchable. It would take time, but it was an important long-term goal.
"It's an honor. I've been wanting one. This makes me feel like a true member."
It wasn't a big deal, but establishing a sense of belonging was important.
"Which style do you prefer? I'll try to accommodate your request."
"Hmm, a brooch would be best. I want to wear it in a prominent place."
"It might not be very noticeable, but I'll do my best."
I quickly created the emblem. I had done this many times and was used to it.
Siegrune happily pinned the brooch to her work uniform. Seeing this, Valeria looked envious, and I made her one as well.
"Hey, that's not fair. I want one too."
Josephine joined in, and I reluctantly made one for her as well.
The matching emblems on our chests looked good. I felt a sense of satisfaction.
With smiles on their faces, Valeria, Siegrune, and Josephine were ready to go. We headed to the Bruno Gang.