Chapter 64 - An Unexpected Proposal
The celebration was in full swing, and it was almost time to wrap up the party.
Balgar Clad's speech was nearing its conclusion.
"—Now, let's fulfill our promise. We will present rewards to the two from the Kikyo Society for their victory."
Phew, finally. I had secretly wondered if they would forget about us.
I nodded solemnly in response to Balgar Clad's words.
"First, from the Clad Family. You know there's a specialized store for transportation magic tools on Central Avenue. Choose one you like and take it. I'll arrange for it to be charged to my account. How does that sound?"
Oh, that's great. I couldn't be happier.
I wanted a large vehicle I'd had my eye on for a while. It was expensive, so this was a wonderful gift.
I hid my excitement and graciously thanked him.
"We have an excellent blacksmith in my territory. I can arrange for custom-made weapons and armor on my dime. Send me your specifications later,"
"We deal in magic tool imports and have a wide variety. I'll send you something impressive."
"I have the best barrels. I'll send you top-notch ones! Appreciate it!"
"I have rare wines. I'll supply them to your tavern. These wines are so precious that even regular orders are impossible, but when people hear about them, they will come from far and wide. They are true treasures."
"You don't do drugs, right? But I can give you some used vehicles. Not new like Don Clad, but I make a good profit in the used vehicle market."
"I'll think of something..."
The bosses kept offering more than I had hoped for.
While some of their generosity might be to show off, the remaining offers were from the McDallian Family and the Anastasia Union.
With all eyes on them, the Anastasia Union made the first move.
"My sister—"
"No, thank you."
I immediately declined, and there was a light laugh.
"Let me finish. I'll send my sister as a liaison to the Kikyo Society. If anything comes up, she can call upon your help once."
The room buzzed with surprise. This was an unexpected reward.
Everyone, including myself, interpreted this as the Anastasia Union offering their support in case of any trouble.
"Do you have any complaints?"
"No, but I expect you to fulfill your promise, no matter the circumstances."
"I will keep my word. This is a promise made in front of all these esteemed gentlemen. I will fulfill it."
Good, I have their word. These people value their reputation, so they wouldn't break a promise easily.
Despite the ongoing buzz, I gratefully accepted the offer.
"So, what does this liaison role entail?"
"We'll leave her in your care."
"Huh?"
"Wait, brother, I wasn't told about this!"
"I'm joking. Just regular meetings between the ladies. If anything comes up, she'll let you know."
I was startled. Was he really joking? His timing was terrible, and his sense of humor was questionable.
Even if he was serious, I wouldn't allow an outsider to live with us. A short stay might be fine, but living there would be a different story. We had many secrets we couldn't expose.
The real question was why the Grand Master of the prestigious Anastasia Union would offer his sister in such a manner.
I wanted to ask directly, but with so many people around, he wouldn't answer. Oh well.
"Feel free to visit whenever. We'd be delighted to have you."
I reassured his sister, who seemed relieved that she wouldn't have to live with us.
"Is that so? I'll visit soon. Actually, I've been curious about your flower shop."
The reputation of Lily's flower shop had reached even this place. Showing her the aerial garden at our headquarters might please her.
We couldn't chat at length, so I just nodded and ended the conversation.
Now, it was the McDallian Family's turn.
Everyone knew the McDallian Family considered the Kikyo Society a thorn in their side, especially after today's events.
They must be furious.
The McDallian Family's reward to us would be of great interest to everyone.
Under everyone's gaze, Don McDallian finally spoke.
"...The Kikyo Society has been helpful in various ways. Let's settle the reward accordingly."
Was this meant to be sarcastic? We were just responding to a challenge, after all.
"We will gift a statue. I know a renowned sculptor. To wish for the Kikyo Society's further prosperity, I will have a custom statue made and sent to you."
A statue? It's a bit underwhelming.
Honestly, I don't need it, but a famous artist's work might be valuable. Fine by me.
I graciously thanked him, even if I didn't mean it.
Afterward, Siegrune and I thanked all the bosses again.
The conversation was wrapping up nicely when a secretary-like man quietly approached Balgar Clad.
He whispered something and then quietly stepped back. Balgar Clad's expression tightened slightly as he turned back to us.
"We have just received new information about Retnark. You all may have some knowledge, but this is confirmed. Let's share it. Additionally, I have a proposal I've been considering, and I would like to present it to you all now."
Retnark again. I'll have to check with Josephine later.
What could his proposal be?
"The recent calm in Retnark has turned into a confirmed intensification of internal conflict. They are actively recruiting mercenaries, acquiring weapons, magic tools, healing potions, and food supplies. The situation is becoming concrete."
I see. We had suspected this, and Josephine had pointed out the possibility.
We were already preparing for the influx of refugees and strengthening security in our territory.
With this confirmed information, we would be busier.
Balgar Clad paused to gather everyone's attention.
"I propose a two-year mutual non-aggression pact, starting today. This is a provisional period, and we will discuss the extension or shortening of this period at the semi-annual assembly."
Balgar Clad continued, gauging everyone's reactions.
"War is a time to make money. I don't want to fight among ourselves during such times. We should unite to reject any wartime requisitions. This benefits not only us but all of Exembra. I believe you wise gentlemen will understand."
...Hmm, not bad. Not bad at all.
At least for the Kikyo Society, there were no downsides. We had many new ventures starting, and we didn't want any interference.
Minor provocations might still happen, but with a mutual non-aggression pact in place, a full-scale conflict could be avoided. We could focus on making money during the wartime boom and build our strength.
This proposal seemed beneficial to everyone here, not just us.
"If we get your approval today, it will take effect immediately."
"The truce during the war is a good idea. But what about Retnark's requisition squads? They might provoke a war between Exembra and Retnark."
"Exembra has connections with the dominant military government. If they send requisition squads, they would likely be from the coup side. In that case, we could ally with the military government."
The Exembra governor is officially appointed by Retnark.
They collect regular taxes, but if they imposed additional heavy taxes or requisitions, they might defect to the coup side. The criminals of Exembra, including us, would side with whoever offered more profit.
Balgar Clad answered the various detailed questions clearly.
"I believe your concerns and doubts have been addressed. Now, for your approval. If anyone opposes, please speak up."
The room fell silent. No one seemed to oppose.
Even if some organizations were connected to the coup side, they couldn't act openly in this situation.
Balgar Clad, seeing no opposition, spoke again.
"I thank you, wise gentlemen. The mutual non-aggression pact and the military agreement against requisition squads will take effect from this moment. If the pact is broken, the violator will pay with their life. Until the next assembly, may we meet again."
And that was it. We were dismissed!
Siegrune and I quietly left.
While the immediate impact of this assembly on the Kikyo Society's position in the underworld was unclear, I sensed a change in how others viewed us.
Especially after seeing Siegrune's combat, they would have to reassess our strength. The bosses might have watched the fight with enthusiasm, but I'm sure they were doing some serious thinking behind the scenes.
Whether they would try to court us, oppose us, or remain neutral, the first step would be to gather more information about us.
Josephine and her team would have a lot of work to do.
I patted Valeria's soft hair to soothe myself from the fatigue of the prolonged assembly and party.
On the way back, we stopped by Doc's garage to leave the Bloomstar Galaxy and returned to our beloved headquarters, the Kikyo Society Headquarters.
I then convened an impromptu meeting of the executives to report on the decisions.
"A mutual non-aggression pact. I believe it's beneficial for the Kikyo Society."
"Given the proposal from the Five Great Families, it's unlikely to be broken easily."
"Two years is a long time. We'll discuss the extension or shortening of the period at the semi-annual assembly."
"What about the coup requisition squads?"
"We need to prepare for a more severe influx of refugees. We should strengthen our security measures."
Everyone seemed to be digesting the information from the assembly.
"I'll leave the details to you. We have capable members."
"The Intelligence Unit will have a lot of work with the Retnark investigation."
"Refugees won't move in the winter, but it will be a problem from spring."
"With fewer fights, we might have more free time."
"There will always be troublemakers. We can't let our guard down."
"We should intensify our training to prepare for more realistic combat scenarios."
"If we gain more members, we should think of new business opportunities during the winter."
"We might consider taking on apprentices."
"There are likely many hidden talents in various fields. We should explore these opportunities."
The executives proposed and discussed various necessary actions. They had all grown in many ways.
There was a lot to do, but my role was to create an environment where everyone could work efficiently.
I could leave the rest to them. It was a relief.
A few days after the assembly, the rewards for the entertainment fights started arriving.
The barrels and bottles of wine were shared with everyone at the headquarters and branches. I secured a few for myself and Siegrune, but the rest were left for the Kikyo Society members to enjoy.
Some of the high-end wines were to be supplied directly to the Princess's Shelter Inn. They would be used for business, and I was curious, but I left them for the inn to use for promoting their business.
The weapons and magic tools were all useful. Siegrune personally visited the famous weapon smith to place custom orders. I didn't need anything, so she could have it all.
One of the bosses, a weapons merchant, sent an almost comical amount of weapons and armor, enough to form a small army.
They weren't junk but usable items. Honestly, I didn't understand the gesture, but it was appreciated, especially since our membership was growing and our turnover was high.
I later learned that they had a large stock of weapons and armor from unpaid debts and were glad to get rid of them.
The magic tool merchant, who dealt in smuggling, sent a variety of items, including some interesting ones. The camera-like magic tool for recording short clips was particularly popular. It was a toy, but still fun.
My favorite was a disposable magic tool that exploded like dynamite. I could achieve the same with magic, but this was a rare item, and Josephine was investigating its source.
There were also mist generators and small-scale barrier magic imitations. These were likely scavenged items.
Lastly, there were transportation magic tools.
The new vehicle from Balgar Clad was still to be chosen. We would pick it up later.
The used vehicles would be discussed and decided by everyone.
The assembly was indeed a hassle, but the generous rewards made it worthwhile.
In the future, we would focus on building our strength and becoming a more solid organization.
More power, more money! I'm never satisfied.