kscans

Chapter 104 - To This Okita-kun Person, Good Luck! ★

"What in the world is going on!?"

"My sincerest apologies. We are currently doing everything we can to repair relations. Please wait just a little longer."

"While you're doing that, America has gotten ahead of us! That's it! I'm going myself!"

Don't say such foolish things... Please, just don't.

"Please wait. There is the matter of Shindo-sensei from the other day. If you go now, sir, it will only antagonize them further. Please leave this to me."

"Then hurry up!"

As those words were spoken, a loud click echoed in my ear.

"Sigh... Every last one of them."

I sighed and hung up the receiver. Just then, a knock echoed in the room.

"Head Director, this is Saegusa. Is now a good time?"

Yoshino...

"Yes, come in."

When I gave my permission, Yoshino bowed once and entered the room.

"You seem busy."

"Well, yes. Every single day, calls come in from all over. 'What's happening,' 'Hurry up,' they say... Today has been especially bad."

It's truly exhausting. I can't even get my own work done.

"It's because of Claire's announcement, I presume."

"It is. It seems she has finalized her contract with the witch. She announced the sale of Healing Potion Lv2 and an auction for Translation Potions."

The announcement was made just a moment ago, but it spread across the world in an instant. Thanks to that, the phone has been ringing off the hook.

"Claire is claiming it was dropped by a Slime, though."

"I'm not fond of American jokes."

No one believes that. Everyone knows Claire is in contact with the witch, and it's obvious she bought them from her.

"This was within our expectations, for the most part."

"Of course. I've explained it to the Diet members as well. But they still call. Are they that bored?"

"The honorable members must have their own circumstances."

"I suppose so... So? How is our contract coming along?"

I have left contact with the witch to Yoshino. She must have come to report on that.

"This is a report concerning that. I have succeeded in making contact with the witch."

"Is that so. That's good. Did you find out anything?"

"I couldn't delve too deeply, so I can't be certain, but it seems unlikely that she is from Frontier."

Not from Frontier... Does that mean she's Japanese?

"What's your basis for that?"

"She is too knowledgeable about Japan, and her way of thinking and her knowledge are those of a Japanese person. I believe she is likely Japanese."

So it is as I thought... But if that's the case, why use a fake name? Why is there absolutely no information on her past? Even though she has been on television...

"I see... What about her claim of closing the Gates?"

"She evaded the question. It's likely a bluff, but I can't say for sure."

Well, she would evade it. It's to protect herself.

"Very well. We have no intention of pursuing that matter anyway. More importantly is the contract for the Healing Potions."

The witch's identity will have to be set aside for now.

"Yes. Regarding that, it seems there was a clause in her contract with Claire that she would not sell to anyone else."

That's not good. I want to avoid a monopoly at all costs.

"Can't anything be done?"

"It has been handled. It seems Claire has no intention of monopolizing them either. It was apparently said to prevent a large quantity from flooding the market and causing a price crash. Therefore, it will not interfere with our contract."

What a relief... Even Claire chose to avoid a conflict with other organizations.

"That's good. We can rest easy for now. Then let's prepare for the contract immediately."

"Regarding that, I have already made a provisional agreement."

She works fast. As expected of Yoshino. Especially when it comes to money.

"What are the terms?"

"She is willing to sell about one hundred units at three point seven million yen each."

One hundred units... The number is still strange. Combined with Claire's, that's two hundred.

"Three point seven million... can't it be three point five?"

"It was initially four million. She apparently sold them to Claire for four million as well. It is three point seven million after negotiations."

It is certainly cheaper, but... Is it really three point seven million?

"Very well. I approve. Proceed with the official contract immediately. The higher-ups are getting noisy."

"Understood. Considering the possibility of interference, I am thinking of conducting the transaction within Frontier."

Within Frontier? That means Yoshino will handle the exchange.

"Can't it be done here?"

"There is the case of Shindo-sensei, and..."

It's confirmed. She's trying to skim something off the top. As expected of the money-grubbing Yoshino.

"...Very well. Proceed with that. And be quick about it."

"Yes, sir."

Now is not the time to expose her misconduct. I'll let it slide.

"And what of the rumor that the witch has a disciple?"

I decided to check on a rumor that had been circulating online recently.

"Ah, that. I asked her about it, and she said it's Yokokawa Nanaka, who belongs to the same guild."

"Yokokawa? I don't know her."

She's not a high-ranker, then.

"They belong to the same guild and are active during the same daytime hours, so they seem to act together. She's just a university student."

"Did you investigate her?"

"Yes. She comes from a single-mother household, and her mother is still alive. Yokokawa is a student living alone and attending a university in the city. Her grades are excellent, and there are no suspicious points."

"A student... How old is she?"

"Nineteen."

A minor...

"We can't do anything rash..."

"It would be best not to. Yokokawa's mother works in the media, so delving too deeply would be a bad idea."

Of all things, the media... The one thing the higher-ups despise the most.

"Cease the investigation into Yokokawa immediately. The media is a problem."

"Understood."

She might have a unique skill, but she could become an even bigger landmine than the witch.

"What about the witch's objective?"

"Making money. It's straightforward."

Yoshino is nodding in agreement. Well, her objective is also to make money.

"Is that all?"

"It most likely is. She is too conspicuous to be an agent, and she is skilled at selling things."

First, she sold Healing Potion Lv1, then Item Bags. And now, she's sold Healing Potion Lv2. She is gradually selling more valuable items.

"It doesn't seem like it will end anytime soon..."

"I'm sure of it. She said she would be holding another auction."

Another one...

"What is it this time?"

"She said it's Healing Potion Lv3."

"Tsk... After Level 2 comes Level 3."

The foreigners are likely to bid high on Healing Potion Lv3.

"She said she would decide the price with that."

"So that means she has many Healing Potion Lv3s as well?"

"That would be the case. They must have dropped from a Slime."

How dull. A very dull joke.

"Hey, Yoshino, how do you think the witch is obtaining these items?"

"It's certainly a unique skill. The theories online are that she's making them herself, smuggling them from Frontier, or that she can manipulate drop items."

Well, it's likely one of those three.

"Which is the most probable?"

"The theory that she can manipulate drop items. I don't want to consider the smuggling theory, and if she were making them herself, there would be no reason to go to Frontier. It's reasonable to assume she goes to Frontier to obtain the items."

Hmm...

"A reason to go to Frontier..."

"Well, there's no point in thinking about it. We'll never know for sure. The Golden Witch is a goose that lays golden eggs. There's no point in thinking about how the goose lays the eggs."

She means I should just shut up and eat the eggs.

"Understood... I also want to confirm one thing. Did you add a new member to your party?"

"Where did you hear that?"

"I saw it online. It's a man, right? What is he? Your boyfriend?"

Yoshino is popular, so that kind of information spreads quickly.

"No, that's not it. He started as an adventurer at the Ikebukuro Guild around the same time as Eleanor, so I contacted him thinking he might know something."

"Did anything come of it?"

"No, nothing in particular. However, he was skilled with a sword and didn't have a bad personality, so I invited him."

Skilled with a sword... I recall that Eleanor also uses a sword, despite being a witch.

"Are you sure there's no connection to Eleanor? Why would someone you praise so highly be in a place like Ikebukuro?"

Ikebukuro is an unpopular guild. Normally, one would go to Shibuya.

"He seems to be the boyfriend of a receptionist at the Ikebukuro Guild. They were senpai and kouhai in university and are living together."

"A receptionist?"

"Asakura Kaede. I know her as well. She was a member of the Ikebukuro branch manager's party."

Ah, that appraiser. I don't know all the staff, but I remember the valuable appraisers.

"I see. So you had him join your party through that connection..."

"Yes. I've known Asakura Kaede for a long time, and this Okita-kun was the same age as me and Shimizu, so I invited him. That said, he's not an official member, so I have no intention of entrusting this job to him."

No inconsistencies...

"Hmm... But if he's the same age as you, that means he's twenty-six... That's quite late to start."

Normally, one starts being an adventurer in their late teens or early twenties.

"...He was apparently fired from his company."

"...Ah, that's rough."

He's twenty-six, so he might have been thinking of marrying Asakura. So he took a leap of faith and became an adventurer... It's dangerous, but if he has the skill, it might be a good thing. Well, I can't do much more than wish him luck.

"Understood. At any rate, if he's at the same guild as the witch, he might be able to get some information. Look into it."

"I understand. I've made contact with the witch, so I will continue the investigation."

"I'm counting on you. Well, tell that Okita-kun to do his best... Also, there's movement from the Shibuya branch. Be careful in Frontier."

"Kiryu Akira?"

Kiryu Akira is an A-rank adventurer belonging to the Shibuya Guild.

"Yes. I know you don't like it, but be careful."

"...Understood."

Yoshino made a look of utter disgust. Kiryu Akira is a famous playboy who likes women, and Yoshino, who has been subjected to his persistent advances, detests him.

"Also, I need to discuss that other matter. That surveying company turned us down."

"As I thought... What should we do... Ah, it's the phone."

Damn it! It's ringing again.

"We'll deal with this later. You get back to work."

"Understood."

Yoshino bowed and left the room. After confirming she was gone, I picked up the receiver.

"You! What is going on with that matter!?"

I want to rip the phone cord out of the wall...