Bab 146: Save 79 ─ Terms of Negotiation
After Alisa's statement that I could have Lucy as my woman, the problem was solved, but now there is a new one.
"Ixion, how long will it take to reconnect the hot water and gas?"
"You have to pay almost half a year's basic utilities, not counting the fine for not paying, reconnecting it will take time."
The reason we have electricity and no water is because Ixion replaced the magic stone at the bottom of the house, which is responsible for sending power to the house and when it runs out, you have to call the equivalent of an electric company in this world to have it replaced.
Ixion says he did it without permission, there will be a fine to pay since he used one of the magic stones of the ship.
Therefore, there is only one option left, which Felicia said.
"I will not allow Alisa-sama to stay in this place without water and full of dust!"
Yesterday we only cleaned the rooms, but the house is very big, there is a lot of dust.
So I suggested this.
"Can't we stay at Erselica's mansion?"
That's how we headed there.
As we reached the door, we heard some shouting.
"How the hell did you set the kitchen on fire, Liam!"
"The flames are growing, put it out!"
"That's weird, it was just supposed to be boiling water."
"You totally opened the gas pipe!"
Apparently there's a big commotion, hurried footsteps were approaching.
"Aaah, I can't stand it, I'll go get onii─!"
A small looking girl, orange hair with three antennas in the middle making her look like a carrot and hazel eyes.
She is Erselica van Reinfield, a reincarnate like me, and also my cousin from a previous life.
Last year, she got into trouble by pretending to be a saint, I had to save her and thanks to her I came to this country.
Erselica was surprised to see me, but it wasn't exactly me, it was the people behind me.
"Hi. May we come in?"
I greeted her and she said in a shaky voice.
"C-Come in..."
◇
*Shudder*
"Hi, it's been a while, hasn't it?"
Alisa said, looking very coldly and intensely at Erselica, whom she was shaking like a small animal.
Alisa had her arms folded under her large breasts, Airi was with her hands behind her back, but just like Alisa, she had a dark look on her face.
"Glad to see you're still alive Erselica, have you finally found housing for you to stay living here?"
The look on both of their faces towards Erselica was one you wouldn't want to intrude on. I left Erselica facing her greatest enemies, she is to blame because she did something unforgivable to them last year.
On the other hand, Ixion was busy putting out the fire caused by the boy next to me.
An attractive silver-haired girl with purple eyes, he was the "protagonist" of this game, and the crown prince of my country, Liam von Altfode.
"Tell me, how on earth did you manage to make a fire out of heating water?"
"Bradford, you offend me. I was only trying to make ramen, after all, I can't be a good king if I don't know how to make the best ramen in the world."
"No, no, no, no, what the hell does one have to do with the other?"
"Putting aside what happened a little while ago, what brings you here, count?"
Said a handsome boy with long hair and green eyes Frey van Nightray, who unlike Liam who wore an apron, he wore a suit, apparently he has been working in an orchestra.
"We'll be staying here for a while until they reconnect the utilities."
"Bell went to pay expenses and threaten officials to get it all done between now and tomorrow."
"It's very convenient to have those strange floating spheres with you."
"It is... put on a shirt!"
I was replying in exaltation to a guy who looked like a bouncer, he was doing push-ups in the room, there was nothing weird about that, the weird thing was that he was only wearing a speedo.
This is Chlust van Arses, a muscle brain.
Along with Liam, the three of them were part of the main group of core characters in the game. But not anymore because they were disinherited.
There were other disinherited ones too, one of them was playing with a hat, he was putting mysterious and disreputable things inside it.
His hair and eyes were the same purple color, but his aptitude was that of a whole clown, Clovis von Arkwright was.
"Rudecchi, my friend's food is out, lend me money to buy him more."
"I'm not your father for you to ask me for money! Buy it yourself with your own!"
"Stingy."
"The Count has a point, Clovis, you're overdoing it with his kindness."
Answered the voice of reason of these five losers, a boy with a serious, expressionless face, despite wearing glasses, his light blue eyes like his hair radiated honesty. I thanked Warren von Gravel for that.
"Well said Warren."
But Warren was also a jerk despite being the guy with glasses.
"The count won't be able to lend me to buy cleaning supplies later."
I forgot that these five are Erselica's lovers, anyone who is with her ends up being a pitiful and useless man.
Men who had to commit some sin so great that they pay for it in their second life.
Coming to hand me a cup of tea as my face had a bad color.
She was a girl with tanned skin, black hair and eyes, she was taller than Erselica, but she was younger than her, she was Cana, Erselica's best friend and servant.
I thanked her, but said.
"I think he needs one more than me."
I pointed to a young boy, with brown hair and scarlet eyes, the boy had a complicated face.
"Allen-kun, it's fate that we get back together."
It was Allen, Ada's younger brother.
"D-Don't stick to me so much! I-It's embarrassing."
The little brat didn't like being hugged by his well-developed older sister, which was tantamount to being squashed by her huge attributes.
As he was laughing, someone knocked on the door, Felicia went to open it.
"Is something wrong, Doyle-dono?"
She mentioned a name I remembered, I stood up and there at the door were two people, one of them was an old man in a suit, and green eyes, despite being from a family of counts, he is Alisa's father's right hand man, Doyle von Caesarmund was.
It seemed strange that he was here.
"Good morning Doyle, is something wrong?"
In a polite tone he answered me.
"Good morning young master Rudel. Yes, we came because we had something important to say, but there was no one at the house where they were supposed to be, then an official from the Kingdom embassy told us that in this one they might be."
"Sorry for not warning you, it was sudden, no problem."
The person next to him tugged at his sleeve, Doyle apologized for ignoring her.
"Sorry, let me introduce you."
An old woman, well dressed, wearing a pearl necklace and scarf was standing behind Doyle, her hair was brown but the gray was showing, her eyes were purple behind her glasses.
"She is a diplomat sent by the prime minister─"
"Emma van Brehmer, a pleasure."
She introduced herself. For some reason, she seemed to be watching me from head to toe.
"So he's the Hero of the Kingdom, huh? He looks simpler than a commoner, let alone his vocabulary for greeting a maid."
(What the hell does this old woman think she is?)
(You're lucky that gentlemen don't hit old women.)
A vein scored on my forehead, before I told her a polite reply, a voice from the background stopped me.
"Hohoho, you're still as stern as ever, Emma-san."
"I'm just telling the truth."
A man in a suit, monocle in his eye and white hair walked from the back, it was──
"M-M-Mentor! What are you doing in Aster?"
My tea and manners mentor from the Kingdom came to this country.
I don't know what he was doing here, but I hadn't seen him for half a year, which left me very sad.
I greeted him in the most respectful way I could.
"Welcome back! It's been a long time."
"Hohoho, long time no see, Mister Rudel, how have you been?"
"Yes! I've been doing great, although a little bad because of all the trouble that's been happening to me."
"I'm glad to see you're still as energetic as ever."
"May we come in?"
"Come in as if it were your home."
I told the three of them to come in, but only my Mentor I led him to the table to prepare the best chair for him.
I'm ashamed to say it, but Mentor is not his name. In fact, the day he came to introduce himself, I fell asleep and don't know his name.
From what I could hear after waking up, is that he used to be a nobleman and gave up that position and title, let everyone treat him as a simple knight.
After all the time we have spent, I never touched the subject of his name. I'm too embarrassed to tell him or much less ask Alisa or Airi since they know it too.
But, the Mentor is here so there is always good news like a nice day, let's hear it.
◇◇◇
"Hey, is that normal?"
"... It is."
Lucy was asking Alisa about what they saw.
"This tea is one that was preserved for 50 years, you can smell how the leaves are so preserved, but with a strong aroma."
"It smells splendid, I'm sure it had to have been very expensive to buy."
"Don't worry about the money, I have plenty left over even if I don't work, please take it to the Kingdom with you. Ah, I also got these peach and mint scented ones. They are very rare to get."
"Ho~, I see."
Rudel was showing his Mentor a large amount of tea leaves he bought.
He already had two gift bags ready for his Mentor for when he returns to the Kingdom.
The girls were looking at him with a confused expression, Lucy knew about his obsession with tea, but this was different.
"D-Don't tell me that's how it usually is when they're together?"
"It is."
"It's not weird for us anymore."
Despite saying that, both of their expressions were subdued, Lucy just staring at the situation.
As the servants prepared drinks and snacks for Erselica and the others.
They all sat at a large oval table. The servants stood behind their respective masters.
Emma coughed to indicate her reason for coming.
"First of all, I thank you for giving us hospitality, Miss Erselica."
"N-No problem."
Erselica shivered as she was still in Alisa and Airi's range of vision.
Emma continued.
"Well, our reason for coming is due to what happened between the count and the aristocratic kingdom some time ago. The problem with the Derrick boy was resolved."
"But the problem with the former heir Jude is different."
Emma glanced slightly at Rudel, who was still conversing with his Mentor.
Alisa pinched his cheek to get his attention.
Rudel replied in a disinterested tone.
"But it was all Jude and his father's fault, even that idiot Linus paid for it. The Acting Chairman backed me up so no problem~."
A vein marked itself on Emma's forehead.
"I heard that, but the priestess's problem is unrelated to acts of terrorism and insulting a political image."
Rudel picked his nose when he heard that the offense he committed was serious.
"Huh? Are they idiots?"
"Rudel, don't interrupt."
Alisa dropped Rudel so Emma could continue talking.
"I'm sure they've already told you, but there are three of the six houses of the great nobles who have filed a formal complaint about you."
"The Acting Chairman intervened, but even with that the complaint is still legitimate, I am here to dislodge them by presenting a formal apology in his own handwriting."
"I refuse."
Rudel said without even hesitating for a second.
"Y-You refuse?"
The expression on Emma's face indicated that she couldn't believe what the guy who was supposed to be a national hero and a minister to boot was saying.
Rudel fiddled with his cup of tea while Alisa and Airi pinched his cheeks.
"Those idiots aren't complaining about it, they're complaining because they're sore losers and sore losers do that. If they try to threaten them with something warlike, I'll tell them I'm free any day."
"But that won't happen, just ignore them like a barking dog."
"Something like that is offensive to a country! Let alone one that isn't selling half-price magic stones!"
"The queen told me to act according to the situation, the situation indicates that some bad losers are very jealous of my victory and they can't do anything. That's why it's better to ignore them, end of discussion."
"Rudel, you can't close an important discussion like that."
"Of course I can. They are cowards those great nobles and they are only three of them, they are the ones who lost influence, I will tell Mr. Randolf to teach them a lesson."
"Do you trust that Acting Chairman that much?"
"He's a better ruler than our trash we call king."
There was an awkward silence after that.
Rudel's Mentor smiled after standing up.
"If that's Mister Rudel's decision, then there's nothing more to do, with your permission, I'll take my leave."
"Huh? You're leaving already?"
Rudel said in a melancholy tone, the Mentor smiled at him and said.
"I came just for a request, I already helped you a lot here, but if you are confident that nothing bad will happen already, then it only remains to wait for them to return home."
His face turned to Lucy who felt a little uncomfortable by his gaze, but that was from nerves, the mentor was giving her a warm smile.
"You're Miss Lucy, aren't you? I was told about Vermillion Household and your situation with Rudel-san."
(They told you?)
(Why did they call the Mentor if he's only a teacher?)
(Was the principal of the academy someone special in his youth to be called?)
(Why did he say he helped me?)
(Anyway, that doesn't take away what a wonderful person he is. I'm saddened by his departure so quickly, but it can't be helped.)
The meeting ended with Rudel in tears after seeing his Mentor and his two companions heading to the port to escort him.
◇◇◇
"You really are the most useless fellow in the world you know."
"Sorry, it was a mistake."
Two young men were walking along the sidewalk of a luxurious residential area.
In their arms they carried huge sacks containing letters.
The taller one, with muscles, tanned skin, long silver hair that reached to the nape of his neck and was tied in a bun, with dark green eyes and of commoner origin.
His name was Darryl, one of the characters in the game.
He was complaining to his companion.
"Wrong my ass, you knew we were supposed to deliver this yesterday but you never woke me up."
"But I tried to, it's only because you stayed up gambling and drinking all night that this happened."
"You should have woken me up anyway!"
Darryl was yelling at a tall, healthy boy with pale skin, long silky black hair that reached down to his back, dark gray eyes and his family is of the lower nobility because of his father who is a merchant.
His name was Dominique Ainsley and he was also a character in the game.
Yesterday, they both came to Aster to earn money, emergency knights were needed and they accepted.
"Then why didn't you do it?"
"It's impossible for me to carry all this alone. Besides, unlike the Kingdom, here I don't have my family to provide me with a carriage."
"Even those strange things called limousines and streetcars are expensive."
The reason Dominique wouldn't tell Darryl was that...
(The truth is, I could do it alone, but I kept watching you sleep all the time, sorry.)
Dominique's tastes are very peculiar and unique. To the point that sometimes she causes these problems.
They arrived at the right place, it was a huge mansion with a beautiful garden,
They approached the gate and as they were about to knock on the door.
"Uwah! The prince made a fire happen again!"
"Liam you idiot! How the hell did you make two unsharpened knives generate sparks and cause the gas tank to explode?"
"It's an accident, I didn't do it on purpose!"
"Uwooh, Clovis is on fire!"
The boys' faces as they heard the screams from inside caused them to leave the sacks at the door and then retreat.
"I don't know who lives, but I don't want anything to do with them."
"I agree, let's hurry back to the ship."
Dominique was replying to Darryl, being a bit away from the mansion, someone came outside.
He was covered in flames.
"Roll Chlust, roll!"
"This isn't the kind of fiery training I wanted!"
"Ixion, the fire I can't control!"
They quickly hurried their steps straight to the harbor.
◇◇◇
After arriving at the port, Darryl spoke to an official who was resting at a food stall.
Both of their expressions froze when the official told them.
"I'm sorry, but your ship sailed long ago."
"How did this happen!" Darryl asked as he held the official by the shoulders while shaking him.
"Wait Darryl, there must be a mistake here." Said Dominique after calming him down.
"You see, we were tasked to take mail to a faraway place, we couldn't do it and we did it today, it's impossible for our ship to have sailed, since that ship is still there."
Dominique pointed to Aurora, which was anchored.
They came as escorts. Fritz who was another character in the game was going to come, but he preferred to stay in the Kingdom.
The official said.
"I-I understand what you are saying, but the reason for setting sail was because a guest of the Kingdom was returning from work. He did everything he had to do here and asked to be sent home."
"For that reason is that there are no longer any of the ships that accompanied them. You won't be able to ask for the embassy airships to transport you home either."
"S-Something like that..."
Darryl broke down as Dominique protested.
"That's unfair, so what should we do now?"
"Wait for some ship to return to the Kingdom."
"We don't have much money and I hear inns and hotels are expensive! Can't we stay at the home of some embassy official or diplomat?"
"I'm sorry, but no. Officials' houses are shared and diplomats live in small apartments, no one can give them small accommodations."
"N-No way..."
Now Dominique broke down. The official saw them and felt sorry for them, then he remembered something.
"Right, there are two places─ well one in fact, where you guys can stay away. Only if the owner allows you."
"Really! Tell us which one please!"
The boys good-naturedly pressed the official who called out a name, which none of them knew.
◇◇◇
At the Herring Household weapons factory, Randy and his son arrived.
"Where is it? Show me!"
He came in commanding as if he was the owner, he was, but the way he was behaving was unethical.
After arriving at the hangar, a master craftsman greeted him, then said.
"P-Please come this way."
They all walked straight into the crowd.
There, a large black Armor was in its full glory, but its right arm was destroyed, its legs damaged, and the cockpit was completely pulverized.
Everyone was shocked to see such a work of art, Randy swallowed saliva and said.
"Th-That... is that what I think it is?"
"It most certainly is my lord, a true Lost Item."
After hearing the words of the craftsman who had dedicated almost his entire life to studying and crafting Armor, Randy thanked him from the bottom.
"Uwoooooooooh I knew the Herrings were the best family, but this just proves I was right! Now Randolf and the others will have to kiss my ass hahahahaha!"
"That's not the best my lord, listen to this."
"...?"
The craftsman approached to within ten feet when that happened.
*Badump*
*Badump*
A sound of a beating heart was being played from inside the Armor.
The craftsmen explained.
"It's clearly from a long time ago, leaving aside the destroyed parts that can be replaced."
"It doesn't make sense to hear that sound."
"One of ours came in and saw nothing of the ordinary. I'm even afraid to say that the heartbeat is just our imagination."
"I can hear it, why is it my imagination?"
"It is not itself our imagination, it is what our head creates and that is why we can hear it."
"We know what we will hear, but we can't explain it."
Randy had little understanding of what the craftsman was saying, he reached out to touch and analyze the large black armor. Then he had a great idea.
"I know! Douuuuuuuuuuuuuug!"
Randy's son who was eating 2 pure chocolate bars, turned to look at his father.
"Doug, I was approached on how to get Randolf and the others to respect me! As well as the method of kicking that brat out."
"Look, we─ no, what you will do is reproduce this thing."
"Me?"
No one could believe what Randy was saying, it was crazy because he said "reproduce this", implying that he wanted to have more than one.
"That's right. as my heir, you must prove your worth and importance to the other great nobles."
"That is why you will stay here and together with the craftsmen will create several armors similar to that brat's."
"B-But my lord, we don't know if it even works."
Randy got angry that someone saw something wrong with his improvised plan.
"Shut your insolent mouth! If your lord tells you to do it you do it, if you don't, I'll play with your wife like I did with former chief craftsman!"
"W-We'll get started right away!"
(Well, actually I played with her long ago and discarded her when she told me she had a problem.)
Randy showed an unpleasant laugh, at that, a servant came running towards him.
"My lord, an order from the Acting Chairman for you!"
"Say it."
"The Acting Chairman requests the immediate presence of all the great nobles."
"That Randolf, just causing me trouble... well, get my limousine and food ready, these meetings are boring."
As Randy was leaving, he said to his son.
"Doug, make sure you bring me some good news before the month is out."
"Aye aye father. You heard you lazy bums, let's get to work."
At the moment they all planned to repair to the mysterious armed unit, a strange movement occurred where his right arm was.
◇◇◇
"What did you say!"
"Do you have a problem with my decision, Herring-dono?"
The location was the assembly of the six great nobles located on the territory of the no longer extinct Vermillion Household a very important meeting more than any other was taking place. The building was in the shape of a temple and was under one of the great roots of the sacred tree.
The current heads of the six great nobles gathered there. Among them Randy, stood up very angry from his seat, banging the table.
He was complaining to the Acting Chairman, who is the highest authority in the country.
Randolf Ciel Rosenberg is a tall and robust man, with short blond hair and green eyes in his sharp gaze. His beard was neatly trimmed which showed that his health has improved.
He was also the final boss who was supposed to destroy the country, but this man was different from the game, Randolf was looking menacingly at Randy.
"Of course I have a problem! What you say is unthinkable! Don't you guys think so too?"
Randy was addressing the other assembled great nobles.
The reason for his bad mood was due to what Randolf said.
"What if we give the title of honorary great noble to Earl Bradford?"
Of course, Randolf said Rudel's answer "I refuse."
But Randolf wanted Rudel to become an official one, the other grand nobles objected, starting with Randy, followed by the man next to him.
A man with red hair, green eyes, serious face with a padlock beard.
His muscles were so big that his manly breasts would make the buttons on his shirt pop.
He was the great nobleman, Cliff Gaia Banfield, the father of Jude Gaia Banfield.
Months ago his son had almost succeeded in becoming the guardian, but because of his behavior he blew it.
Right now he was a man whose personality was always proud, be tamed like wild dogs.
"I never thought of saying it, but I support Herring. Acting Chairman, do you really want to make that brat is one of us? Even if he's just an honorary one, that's crazy, don't you think so too, Exner?"
He turned to the young man at his side, a young adult with a very attractive face, slender and fair-skinned, silky, short corn silk blond hair with cool blue eyes.
Of all those present, he was most special, as he was a secret capture target.
Linus Ian Exner was his name.
Linus affirmed what Cliff was saying.
"As Banfield-dono, Acting Chairman, said, that man is not worthy of belonging to us. Even if he didn't have a reason to refuse, why just him?"
"Don't the others feel the same way?"
The gazes of the three focused on another great nobleman, a man in his forties, with brown hair, short stature, and a split beard. It was Lugh's father, Wenz Eliol Lunor.
A man of cowardly personality.
He was feeling pressure when the looks of three classmates wanted him to be supported.
"Err, I... the truth is..."
"I'll speak for him, after all, the murderous looks from you guys would make him support you even if your point of view was the same."
Said Zack's father, Lucian Noctis Wayne, with a slender body, small eyes and black hair combed to the sides.
He spoke to them as he clipped his nails.
"I'll back you guys up in that I don't like that brat. But, the thing is, you three are angry about what happened with Banfield's son."
"If it hadn't been for that, you'd be rooting for the Acting Chairman."
"Thanks for your help, Lucian, it's like he said."
Lucian's face was one of surprise as he had never heard that before.
(That's the first time he's called me by name... wait, now that pretty boy is no longer his right hand man, does that mean I can be?)
A cheek-to-cheek smile showed.
Randolf in a serious tone, revealed his motives.
"I understand that you do not like the count, personally he is a young man with whom you can get along on excellent terms if you leave the legal. In the political sense, what happened was offensive, but I'm speaking as a politician now."
"There are three reasons to come back an honorary great noble and have him on our side. The first one is the most obvious... he's the guardian."
Almost everyone swallowed saliva as it reminded them of the sad reality.
"The second is that the priestess, of the presumed extinct Vermillion Household is still alive. Having the priestess and guardian on our side, that's reason enough to restore her house, even the youngest daughter is the fiancé of the Lunor heir, isn't that right, Wenz-dono?"
"Y-Yes, it is as you say. My son's betrothal to her will take place soon."
"You heard, now the final reason... the technology of his Lost Item is something I wish for."
"With that power, Aster will be able to produce more artifacts and generate more resources. I talked to him and he wouldn't mind sharing the smaller parts. So, I came up with a reason to have him on our side without counting on the priestess and it─"
What Randolf said, made everyone's mouth open in surprise, especially Randy, whom he made very upset.
◇◇◇
In the harbor of the Herring territory, a man entered an abandoned warehouse.
Inside there were the worst scum of society.
Pirates.
The pirates were fighting, drinking alcohol, gambling, and even eating like animals.
In the middle of all that chaos, there was a place where only one person was resting.
His skin was tanned and his head shaved completely, some scars on his face as an eye and brown eyes.
He was... Tyrant Jerico.
He had another name in the game, the pirate who hunts other pirates.
Why did he do that?
Because his desire was to have the largest and most powerful pirate fleet.
Resulting in a man who wants to conquer everything.
The man who was an official of the Herring Household, delivered a letter to Jerico.
He didn't care about anyone or anything, he just wanted to be free and do as he pleased.
To enter countries and eat freely.
"What the hell do you want?"
He said in an aggressive tone while spitting out food.
The official wiped his face with his free hand.
Jerico looked at the letter and his eyebrows twitched as he read something interesting.
"The noble pirate hunter... the brat who defeated the pirate king as well as the pirate pillars... and now you say he's here!"
Jerico had an agreement with Randy.
Jerico would fake attack Aster so he could gain something when it was all over. It was a method of the worst and without morals.
He would get 85% of the profits and Randy the remaining 15%.
But one day, the territory went up in flames.
Ixion was the culprit.
Ships and crew members burned, many couldn't get out until they were charred.
Jerico lost more than half of his fleet, men and loyalty in a single day.
For this he vowed revenge on Rudel.
Jerico bit into his flesh until he rattled the bone.
"Sounds good to me, I was getting rusty from being here."
After standing up, he announced that one-day war would come.
"I'll take it upon myself to finish off that brat, no one mocks Tyrant Jerico! The pirate who will conquer other pirates and rule the seas!"
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Siegburn
Siegburn My dear readers, new chapter of your favorite novel.
Little by little we get to the part I most want you to read, this time we will see Rudel's consequences for making fun of important men.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone