Chapter 55 - The Next Gambit
The trends within the organization have not been mere fads; they have significantly bolstered our combat capabilities.
With the recent snowfall, the new trainees are gradually coming into their own. Thanks to everyone's earnest efforts, we've made great progress.
As the harsh season approaches, it becomes a matter of life and death for the homeless and refugees from Retnark. Consequently, more and more women are knocking on the doors of the Kikyo Society. However, we can't accept everyone into the Kikyo Society.
So, what do we do?
For those who don't show much promise, we've decided to not only help them find employment but also create job opportunities for them here.
The fruits of this effort are the new café and tavern opening today on Sixth Avenue.
"Yukari, are you sure this is the right place?"
"I'm not expecting much in the way of profits here. If we start running a deficit, we'll reconsider, but for now, even a slim profit is fine."
Our current location is at the end of Sixth Avenue, where we can't expect the same bustling success as Sophie's The Princess's Shelter Inn. However, I believe the demand for dining establishments on Sixth Avenue hasn't reached saturation yet, so there's no need to worry too much.
"This place is spacious and, most importantly, affordable, which is a huge relief for the Secretariat Unit."
The new café and tavern are housed in a renovated abandoned building. Even on the popular Sixth Avenue, this location is somewhat off the beaten path, with few other shops nearby. While the central area is usually crowded, this spot could be a hidden gem for those looking for a quick stop on their way home or out.
"Well, the primary purpose of this building is to serve as a branch of the Kikyo Society. The café and tavern are just an added bonus."
"Since a branch will always have members of the Combat Unit on standby, there's no need to worry about security. Plus, with a place this size, we'll need a lot of staff, which means more job opportunities."
The ground floor will be the café and tavern, the second floor will serve as offices and a staff lounge, and the third and fourth floors will be living quarters for Kikyo Society members and staff. The layout is similar to the Headquarters, but with more floor space.
And then there's the basement. This is where our next ambitious move will begin.
The empty two-story basement, known as the Garandong, is still undeveloped. We have only a rough idea of what to do with it.
This has been a recent concern for our executives. Securing the location has been smooth, but we haven't decided on the content yet.
There's also a large abandoned waste storage area behind the building that we've purchased to secure the space. If things go well, this could become a significant asset in the future.
In the real estate sector, we're thinking and acting boldly, looking ahead to secure future profits.
"Until things get rolling, we'll borrow a few experienced staff members from Sophie's place, so running the business shouldn't be a problem."
"Yes, and there's also the matter of the plan."
"For that, we'll rely on Josephine and the others."
Executing the plan is a matter of timing, which makes it quite challenging.
How long has it been since we established the Kikyo Society?
Initially, it was hectic and difficult, but now things are going smoothly. We've reached a stable state, despite occasional provocations from unfriendly parties.
We've established branches and are working on new initiatives. There's still a lot we want to achieve, and I expect our goals to grow.
We simply do what we want, our way. We knock down anyone who challenges us, anyone who causes trouble, and anyone who makes us unhappy. We've done things our way.
However, the impact has been far greater than I imagined, especially on the women of Exembra.
One of the most visible effects is the formation of several women's groups. They may be unofficial, but they've formed a large network.
Numbers are power. I've heard that women, who were once quiet, are starting to speak up.
Several of these groups have reached out to the Kikyo Society, albeit discreetly. It's only natural, as the Kikyo Society is seen as the catalyst. It's not surprising that we're being asked for support.
The main request from these groups is for us to back them up.
Threatening with force is a common tactic. Without it, their demands for better treatment would be dismissed. That's just how things work in this world.
I'm willing to help, but not for free, and not without proper vetting.
We need to understand their goals and what they expect from us. We might refuse if their objectives don't align with ours. If we do agree to help, they must commit to compensating us.
Today, the Secretariat Unit is handling a new visitor.
"That's too expensive!"
"Well, the Kikyo Society isn't a charity. The costs naturally increase with the number of personnel and the duration of the operation. What will you do? Improved conditions could make payments easier, right?"
We're not trying to take advantage; this is a fair negotiation to ensure we receive proper compensation.
I will help, but I won't coddle. I can't afford to let people take advantage of us indefinitely.
Frederica and the Secretariat Unit need to be tough and do their best.
We've also received approaches from the gambling industry. The role of women in these establishments is primarily customer service, with some serving as dealers. In the worst cases, they are treated like slaves, with no freedom to leave.
The industry is notoriously harsh on women. Thanks to the Kikyo Society, women are starting to question and resist these conditions.
They've started to communicate and form solidarity, leading to the approach from a women's group in the gambling industry.
"Yukari-dono, this is it."
"Yes, this is definitely an opportunity."
"Alright, let's do this with spirit!"
This is a golden opportunity for us. One of our goals is to make significant progress through this.
In this world, no one can be forced to work against their will, at least not officially. Slavery is illegal, regardless of the country. But human trafficking does exist, and some organizations in Exembra profit from it, albeit on a limited scale.
Everyone has the right to quit their job. However, if they're in debt, the situation becomes more complicated. But even without debt, there are often insurmountable obstacles.
First, they're not allowed to quit. Even with valid reasons, powerful people won't listen to them.
Second, they don't even consider quitting. Many women accept their treatment as normal.
The goal of the women's group is to ensure that those who want to quit can do so freely.
They also want to improve basic working conditions, such as higher pay, holidays, and benefits.
Finally, they want to make these negotiations public to highlight the importance of women asserting their rights.
Their request to the Kikyo Society is to back them up in these negotiations.
I understand their goals. Their demands are reasonable and should be standard. But the outcome is clear. The gambling industry isn't run by honest businessmen. The organizations controlling these establishments are part of the underworld, and they won't listen to any demands.
We might be able to negotiate with a regular merchant, but these are not regular merchants. The gambling industry, especially the one we're targeting, treats their employees poorly.
These people won't listen to reason from the start.
Despite the high likelihood of failure, the women's group is determined to proceed. They believe that action is necessary, no matter the outcome.
The Kikyo Society will oversee the negotiations at a special service rate.
On the day of the negotiations, we waited in a private room at a restaurant. The gambling industry representatives arrived late, acting arrogantly.
Today, I, the President, am leading the First Combat Unit to oversee the negotiations.
"Angelina, you're just here to observe. Don't intervene unless they become violent."
"Understood. I've already briefed the Combat Unit, so there shouldn't be any issues."
The women's group will handle the negotiations. Our role is to provide security and set the stage.
As Angelina and I whispered, the gambling representatives arrived, showing no concern and acting condescendingly.
"Hey, are you the ones? So what?"
A well-dressed older man entered, followed by about ten stern-looking young men. He sat down and spoke brusquely.
The young men were aggressive, leaning in to intimidate the women and even taking out knives to sharpen them.
Their attitude made it clear they had no intention of listening. They seemed more interested in intimidating and mocking the women.
The women's group was trembling with fear, unable to negotiate.
"Hey, you're not saying anything. Say something, will you?"
The older man slapped the table, further intimidating the women. It was hard to tell if this was a negotiation tactic or just his nature.
The women were too scared to speak.
The older man turned to us with a suspicious look.
"Hey, you in the back. Kikyo Society, right? They're not saying anything. This is a waste of time. Can we leave?"
"We don't have that authority. The negotiations should be between the parties involved."
I ignored the pleading look from the women's representative and remained calm. Negotiating with us wouldn't change anything. The other side would never agree to better treatment.
"Alright, sister. That's what they're saying. If there's nothing to talk about, we're leaving. And don't call us again, got it?"
He leaned in close to the negotiator, glaring at her with a menacing tone. It must have been terrifying.
The women were even more afraid, but it was understandable. If they trusted us to protect them, they might have been able to speak up.
We'll provide them with alternative strategies later. This is our real plan.
The gambling representatives left without much resistance, which was surprising. The young men were openly disdainful, and it was clear they were frustrated by our lack of reaction.
The older man must have had good control over them. We watched them leave and then turned to the women with a more hopeful message.
I sat down in front of the dejected women.
"So, you couldn't say anything, but the outcome was as expected."
"I understand. But you did help a little."
Don't be resentful. We warned you from the start that this would be futile.
"We can't afford to coddle you. We didn't charge for that."
"… Yes, it was our mistake."
People in negotiation roles are generally reasonable. This makes it easier to offer them a more positive outcome.
"Good. I have one piece of advice. Do you want to hear it?"
"What is it?"
They perked up, sensing a glimmer of hope from my calm demeanor.
"Simple. You can't improve your conditions. So, the only option is to quit. If you want to quit, just do it. Why bother declaring it to those people?"
"But we can't just quit."
"Exactly! Even if you manage to escape, what do you do next?"
Of course, we've thought about that. What do you do after you escape?
"It's simple. Come to us."
The women were taken aback by my confident smile.
This is the real plan.