15-015
Well, well, well. Two beautiful women and a young master of the Eighth Shopping District.
...hmm.
As expected, Michitaka, the general manager of the Oceanic Organization, and Roderick of the Roderick Trading Company opened the door and walked in.
How do you do? I'm Guildmas of the Crescent Moon League, a guild. I'm Marielle. And this is our keeper, Henrietta.
Hey, will you stop with the whole 'guardianship' thing, please? This is Henrietta, thank you for your help. I'm sorry to have to leave the books with you.
They take turns greeting each other. Marielle is just a housekeeper relaxing at home in her former world, and Henrietta is an office worker with a degree in economics. I've been taught by my father as an accountant, but I don't know how to be polite in business situations like this, but I give a reasonably cool bow.
"I'm Michitaka of the Maritime Organization. I'm the manager of the Agency.
A large man, built more like a warrior than a merchant, greets you in a cheerful voice. His arms are thick, and the burn marks are obvious, perhaps because he is a smith.
I'm Roderick of the Roderick Trading Company, and I'm the guildmaster of the Production Guild. I'm the guildmaster of the production guild.
On the other hand, the young man who called himself Roderick seemed to have a scholarly bent. As I recall, he was a "dispenser" according to my prior information.
You know, you know..... You're both famous, you know.
Marielle smiles at me.
For her part, a little more weight is lifted off her shoulders than before. In the meeting with Shiroe, she was in charge of getting materials from the Eighth Shopping Street for the time being. In that sense, she must have cleared her quota after the meeting just now.
The meeting that is to be held now is Henrietta's portion in terms of responsibilities.
(In other words, this is where my battle begins.
Henrietta smiles with a flash of her clever gaze. The one in front of her is the head of the most massive guild in Akiba's city and the head of the second largest guild. Normally, their ranks are so different that they wouldn't be able to have their noses rubbed in the
But for the past week, Henrietta and all of them have been preparing everything for this moment. The daily hunts, the preparation of ingredients, the sales calls under the blazing sun, and the trench warfare-like paperwork have all been done to create this moment.
This step is spun into a step in advance, and that step in advance is spun by the step before it. And it is not Henrietta that has spun it, but Henrietta's friends.
(If I pull back here, I won't have a face to match my companions. Besides, it's a black and white plan that Shiroe-sama has set up. If we can't win this one, we can't win anywhere else.
Hmmm... I'm actually here.
Henrietta identifies herself as a second-rate player when it comes to combat. I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this in the future. It's a good thing that you are sitting at the center of the largest operation in this world.
I can use my power to help others.
It's okay for me to wield my own power.
This realization brought a strong sense of resolve and elation to her.
'Oh. I know this one too. You're the manager of the snack bar, Crescent Moon, right? I've become a celebrity in Akiba over the past few days. I've had it too. I've only eaten it once.
Michitaka laughs and says something like that.
Marielle is still smiling and answering the questions, and from Henrietta's point of view, she doesn't seem to be at all intimidated.
Marielle from Crescent Moon.
Roderick asks, glancing at Karasin's expression. He might be trying to deduce why only Karashin had been let through first.
'Well, what do you want? It's an errand, isn't it? 'Erm.'
I'd like to explain to you why I invited the Eighth Shopping District first.
Henrietta begins to explain, counting her breaths.
Slowly, one by one, try not to speak too fast, but to sound spacious. She chooses her words and adjusts her voice as she explains.
I've asked the Eighth Shopping Street to stock up on foodstuffs.
With those words, there is a sudden tension in Michitaka's smiling face and Roderick's intelligent eyes. With just those words, they must have understood how the situation was developing.
The Eighth Shopping Arcade has about 700 members, and 2,500 registered members.
There are about 700 members, 2,500 registered with the Oceanic Organization, 1,800 with the Roderick Company, and although there are differences in the level of craftsmanship and policies, the ratio of forces is almost identical to the number of people in the area. However, if the Crescent Moon joins forces with the Eighth Shopping District, along with the delivery of foodstuffs, that balance of power will be reversed.
The Crescent Moon has revolutionized the food supply chain.
However, due to its size, its supply chain is small. Delivering food to a thousand people every day would not be enough to meet the demand at all. There are more than 15,000 players in the city of Akiba.
But with the combined efforts of 700 people in the Eighth Shopping District, the demand for food can be met. The benefits could be overwhelming.
After all, it's food.
Unlike clothing, furniture, weapons, armor, accessories, and other equipment, food is needed and consumed every day. If you eat it, it's gone. Even if each item is inexpensive, the overall sales must be astronomical. And since those sales are consumable, they are continuous.
I'm sure Henrietta can understand both Michitaka's and Roderick's thoughts. It's not just a matter of how you use it, the weapon of food can be a nuclear weapon that destroys the balance of the production guild with a single blow.
Does that mean we're going to be working with the Eighth Shopping District?
It was Michitaka who took the lead.
He seems to have a straightforward and unrestrained personality, just as he appears to be. I don't know if it's a real-world manager, but it might be the kind of player who attracts popularity in an online game guild.
It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with your friends. Isn't this another case?
Roderick, a young man with thin lines and glasses, muttered.
The fact that he is a man with glasses is similar to Shiroe, but Henrietta thinks that his slightly nervousness is a negative point. Even if he had more blackness than Shiroe, this young man would not have the brazenness to make you drink that black.
To Henrietta, who until just a few days ago had accepted Shiroe's introspective and reserved personality as a similar quality to this Roderick, the difference seemed extraordinarily large. The resemblance was only on the surface.
Yes, that's right, it's another matter. In that other matter, the Oceanic Organization, Roderick's Trading Company and the Eighth Shopping Street are all equally welcome to speak with you.
Henrietta nods her head in a small way.
Negotiation is about reading each other's hands.
In that sense, Henrietta's position is extremely dangerous. It was Henrietta's side that approached her. If Henrietta's side doesn't disclose information to a certain extent, the conversation won't proceed. However, handing over the information also means revealing the cards you have.
The advantage is that they want the benefit of the doubt. The Crescent Moon is looking like too much of a tasty meal for them.
To add to that.
(As long as we have the initiative to negotiate, we will always be in control of what information is leaked or withheld.
Like a chess game, Henrietta is able to quickly sort out what information she can and cannot reveal.
To start this negotiation, Henrietta has an assignment from Shiroe: not to lie. That is, the prohibition against lying.
Now that bluffing has been banned, she has less freedom to do so. I understand that this is an absolute requirement, but it's not good for me.
(Shiroe-sama also makes unreasonable demands, you know. ........We need to ask you to lend us Akatsuki-chan for this. Ah, Akatsuki! Her hair is so sleek and black, she looks like a doll.
Marielle coughs from the side and warns Henrietta, who begins to delude herself with her cheeks delicately dyed, with a coughing cough from the side.
''........Oh, sorry. I guess that's the main topic. The Crescent Moon Alliance is currently planning a large-scale operation. You can think of it as a challenge of sorts. However, the Crescent Alliance alone is not strong enough to take on this challenge. We would like to ask for your support.
Hmm...... A quest?
At Roderick's words, Henrietta didn't say Yes or No, but slightly lowered her gaze and twisted her lips into a crescent moon shape.
(I see you misunderstood me...)
Quests are a type of mission in the Elder Tail. They are a series of adventures that arise from requests from non-player characters, books and clues.
For example, the old man in the village asks you to find his daughter in the forest. Or or wipe out a goblin from a cave. He brings back a manticore spike from the swamp. There are about as many different kinds of quests as you can think of.
In Elder Tail, which lacks a clear storyline like most offline RPGs, quests are the story of the game itself. It is up to the player to decide how many and what quests to take on, but Elder Tail has had hundreds of thousands, even millions, of quests since its beginnings, and no player has ever been able to grasp the full scope of them.
Just as the quests are diverse, so too are the rewards of the quests, which can be experience, gold, items, magical knowledge, or rights of some kind. In rare cases, it could be magical training or recipes for production jobs.
Roderick misinterpreted Henrietta's word "challenge" as a "quest". I'm sure you've heard of the term "large-scale operation", which means that the quest cannot be completed by an individual and requires a large number of people to complete. If it's done poorly, they may think it's something that requires a larger group rather than a party.
The current strategy underway is to sell the "knowledge of new cooking methods" to gain funding. But as Henrietta sees it, new cooking methods are a kind of idea or awareness.
If we divulge even the slightest bit of information, the head of the production guild with good instincts might be able to guess without having to tell them the specific method. In fact, there's no telling when people from other guilds will notice that level of "perception".
When considering such a situation, Henrietta's strategy was this topic guidance. I'm not going to lie. But I won't let her reach the truth either.
"So, what kind of help do you need at Marie's place?
I'm sure that Karasin's questions were also appreciated by Henrietta. You can even call it an assist. But instead of answering the question right away, he looked intently into the eyes of the three of them.
It would be necessary for every negotiation to give off an air of uncertainty about the decision.
I know that next to me, my ally Marielle is shaking that sunflower-like smile brilliantly. The three young men seem to be looking at Marielle and Henrietta's faces in turn.
(Marier is a beauty, you know. It's true. It's a good thing that you're not too tall, or you'd be the perfect pillow to take home with you, because you're right in the middle of my tastes. Oh, I'm still blushing. Karashin-sama has a thing for Marie, doesn't he? (How naive she is...)
In fact, the three of them alternated between looking at Marielle like the sun and Henrietta like the moon, and then averted their gazes, but Henrietta thought about such things without noticing herself.
After a few moments of organizing what needed to be said, Henrietta opened her mouth.
''Before I offer you what you need, let me explain the execution system on our side. If you don't explain how much strength you have, you might not be able to trust us.
The person who is in charge of this large-scale, progressive operation is Shiroe-sama.
Henrietta made one bet.
It was a question and answer that was not instructed to Siloe, nor was it approved by Marielle. Henrietta doesn't know how much significance Siloe's name has. It's a very long time ago, and I've heard that he's a very old-time player who knows people he'd never expect to know, but I don't know why he's so close to a small guild like the Crescent Moon League, and if so, why he doesn't belong to it.
Henrietta herself has spoken with Shiroe, and she considers him to be an extraordinary player. But is that really all there is to it?
Henrietta heard about the "Eagle Lion" (Gryphon) from Serara. As far as Henrietta knows, it's an item that can't be touched by "just any old player".
"A pair of goggles is doing this?"
It was a very low voice, but Michitaka did indeed mutter.
'Naotsugu-sama will be the frontline construction, and Akatsuki-sama will be the cutting edge. The point guard is Nyanta-sama, and Marielle and I have been asked to join the rear guard, which is unworthy of me. In addition, we are planning to carry out our mission with other volunteers in the Crescent Moon Alliance.
Henrietta cut off her words and sneakily asked for Michitaka's reaction.
He did indeed respond with Shiroe's name and a few other names. But the reaction was suppressed, and it was impossible to know what it meant. But there was a reaction. Definitely.
(After all, Shiroe-sama had a good chance of winning.
The core members are that way.
And yet, the missing piece. The one thing we would like to receive is the money. Right now we are in need of five million gold pieces.
A gulping sound escaped from the mouths of the three men.
It was indeed a huge amount of money.
Of course, there have been instances in the past where money was needed for the execution of quests. It could be a bribe during a mission or the price of a lesson. If you include the example of needing an item to complete a mission and needing gold to buy it in the marketplace, then about 25% of all quests will require "expenses" in the broadest sense of the word.
However, the amount of 5 million was too huge. It was an unthinkable amount of money for a personal quest. However, on the other hand, if it was a legendary level quest or a wide area quest, the possibility of such an amount of money could not be denied.
Since I've never heard of such a quest, could it be a completely unknown quest? Isn't it likely that this is a completely new, nobody-knows-it quest introduced in the expansion pack, Cultivation of the Nowhere Sphere, and if so, isn't it intended for 90+ level characters?
And wouldn't that be a large scale quest of the type that, as a feature-length quest, would have numerous quests forming a series of stories? If so, then that large feature-length quest should provide a certain amount of reward for each individual one-off quest that is completed.
This was because feature-length quests were usually handed out small rewards at their key points to keep the players motivated.
--Perhaps this is what the three of them were thinking.
People assume the information they want to believe is true. She had often heard that saying from her father, a securities man. The three of them are inclined to believe the story of an unknown quest that they don't know at all.
Henrietta asks Marielle to take out a package.
What is taken out is a red tea and a custard pudding.
'Dodo! This is my new one. Is it sweet and delicious? I made it out of rock bird eggs!
Proceeding with Marielle's bright smile, the three of them were astonished at the deliciousness of the food and what was spoken. If it was a rock bird, then it was a high level monster of 85 levels and above. If the egg was made from it, then it was definitely a 90-level or higher monster with a completely unknown recipe that they didn't know about.
I'm not asking for free money, of course. We are ready to provide you three with detailed information about the operation once it is completed. We are also prepared to commission a transcriber to reproduce and provide you with the recipes we are currently operating and those we have learned in the course of the challenge.
For Henrietta and Marielle, "Operation" is a vigilante activity, so to speak, to improve the atmosphere in Akihabara. The two don't yet know any details about its landing point. -- Shiroe is blabbing about that part.
But in such an operation, there is no need to divulge details. Once the matter is over, it will and must be kept under glass. There is no such thing as security that can be maintained by keeping the government in a closed room, as Shiroe himself had assured us. There are no disadvantages to revealing information, and at that point, the information would have no value.
However, to the three members of the Production Guild, this sounded completely different. If the
Furthermore, Henrietta explicitly states that "the cooking methods we currently operate and the cooking methods we have learned in the course of the challenge". If there is such a reward, it must be a quest for production. From the activities of the snack seller Crescent Moon, it can no longer be anything other than a new - innovative food item recipe. Even if the rewards were intended only for the cooks, independent of other production workers, their value would be immeasurable.
The three men are beginning to believe in the story they have created.
Henrietta is convinced that the pass has been crossed. These conditions are unbeatable. It would be strange not to nod. If they refused, it was when they doubted the story, and the three of them were completely addicted to the story of the fictional quest they had envisioned.
(It's about time I threw my life preserver on them...)
We're doing everything in our power to raise money. Including the sale of assets and Crescent Moon, we have 500,000 gold coins ready to go. We have 4.5 million gold coins remaining.
We believe that asking one of you for help would significantly alter the balance we currently have. One and a half million gold pieces for each of you... how about it?
Henrietta dumps the amount of money she asks for into 1/3 of the total at once.
Currently in this world, a 90-level player would have 10,000 to 40,000 to 50,000 cash assets on hand. If that's the case, then this 1.5 million gold coins is an amount of money that could be covered by the asset donations of about 100 people.
For example, if the Oceanic Organization, the largest of the three guilds, were to collect donations from 2,500 people, the amount per person would be only 600 gold coins.
Six hundred gold coins was only about the price of a complete set of mid-level armor. It's no surprise that the three of them have a look of determination on their faces.
''Roderick's Trading Company will take you up on that offer.
I'll take the Eighth shopping district.
I see. How about we give them some money? How about we do it on our own as a sole sponsor?
That's the problem. Do you think you're monopolizing all the profits?
When the three of them began to argue, Marielle said, "Don't say that. You know. It's a good thing that you're not going to be able to get away with it.
The three of us can't help but back off when Marielle, who had been smiling throughout the conversation, says that. It was the Crescent Moon Alliance that had taken the initiative in the first place.
"So you're sure you want to make the payment in four days, right?
All right. So, where do I hand over the recipe?
The method will depend on the sketch artist's schedule, but I'd like to exchange it for payment. It will be ready for you the next day at the latest. You're the sketch artist, after all.
After exchanging such parting words and the three of them left the rental room, both Marielle and Henrietta were completely exhausted. Henrietta, who thought she was speaking at her own pace, controlling the initiative throughout, but she was feeling more pressure than expected.
It was not a long time, but you could call it mental fatigue. It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with them.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Henrietta!
Marielle looks riddled and makes an apologetic noise.
''What's wrong? Marie.
Henrietta's usual young lady language has become a bit of a spear.
It's a good idea to help with the negotiations. It's very difficult to do that, it's very difficult to negotiate.
At Marielle's words, which seemed heartbreakingly pathetic, Henrietta couldn't restrain herself from giggling, even though she was exhausted.
'What do you mean? Marie. If it weren't for you smiling at me like that, this negotiation wouldn't have stood a chance at all.''
........Thus, Henrietta and the others had obtained five million pieces of war funds.
◆
It was a moonlit night.
A hot, dry breeze that had left the heat of daylight behind made its way across the decaying platform where luminous insects flew about. It was a 200-meter long concrete plateau on an elevated platform overlooking the central plaza of Akiba town.
In the old days it was the platform for the Akihabara station.
The tracks and support pillars are now rusted out and covered with inexplicable weeds and moss. The buildings on either side of the platform have been broken into pieces, exposing their jagged spires, as if they had been violated in a horrific way.
As the moonlight casts the black shadow of the building, like the tip of its spear, on the tangled platform of green and concrete, two tall shadows stand.
They are Shiroe and Nyanta.
'A bit of a breeze, nyah.
Yeah, that's true.
Shiroe looks up at the moon as she holds up one hand.
Her bangs hang over her eyelids as the wind blows them down, and she slowly squints her eyes through her round glasses.
'It's almost to midnight now, isn't it? Nyanta Squad Leader, do you want to sit somewhere?
I appreciate your concern, but I'm not that old and clumsy.
I'm not getting any older.
Shiroe shrugged.
'You don't mind seeing Souji-chan, do you, Shiroe?
Ah. Hmm.....
Shiroe ponders the question for a bit.
'It's not that I don't want to. It's just that I'm feeling a little awkward. I was invited to join the guild when it was time for Soujiro to start up. I'm not sure if you can call it awkward.
Oh, I see.
Didn't Team Leader Nyanta get asked out?
I think my log-in was unstable at that time. I don't recall being asked to join you.
I see...
The person to meet up with is Soujiro = Seta.
He is an old friend of Nyanta, Shiroe, and Naotsugu.
A samurai from the Tea Party of the Prodigal, Kensei. He was one of the eight men from the Tea Party of the Prodigal who are now in the world.
Sohjiro was, in a sense, one of the most influenced by the Prodigal's Tea Party. He was hardworking, serious, and not only that, but kind. When the Tea Party of the Prodigal decided to disband, it was probably Soujiro who regretted it the most.
The samurai use a variety of oriental weapons, but the sword is the quintessence of their art. There are many kinds of swords. There are many types of swords, from the old-fashioned tachiwa to the small, swinging tachiwa. The samurai's main weapon of choice is the Uchikatana. In the Elder Tail, the sword is superior in rigidity and attack power, and the sword is easier to wield in terms of speed and handling skills.
Sojiro was a master of this sword.
He is able to hide his slashes in grace rather than speed, and his techniques are difficult to supplement even with a close eye. If you hang on to Soujiro, the giant's blow that snaps a giant tree will be swept away, and the armor of the sand pollies that prevented the mallet was rendered useless.
''I have a knack for it, senpai. Soujiro said with a slightly sly smile.
Naotsugu left the game, and at the same time, many of his friends also left the Elder Tail game for personal reasons. According to the story, Nyanta Squad Leader also went on hiatus for a while, or logged in irregularly.
But Soujiro was the first member who didn't leave the Elder Tail. "I don't want the Tea Party of the Prodigal to go to waste," he said. With that, he founded a guild.
Of course, he invited the remaining members of the Tea Party to join him. However, the Tea Party was not a guild, and many of the players who belonged to it were free spirits.
There were a few who joined Shojiro's guild, but there were others who refused to join. It's a good thing that you're not the only one who refused.
I don't think there's any reason to feel bad about it. We've all had our own way, you know. I'm sure Shoji would not be the kind of girl to get upset over something as simple as that.
'That's true, but...'
Shiroe slurred his words.
It's not just because he refused to join the guild that he's stuck. Why did I refuse to join the guild then? I'm not going to be able to say that I rejected Soujiro, Shiroe thinks.
It's that I refused the shackles of the guild.
Now, he has gone to Susukino to help the Crescent Moon League guild, and is frustrated by the silent dominance of the major guilds in Akiba, and is now seeking the help of Soujiro's guild, the West Wind Brigade, to change that situation.
As time goes by, Shiroe has changed. She is no longer the fastidious person who hated the relationship with the guild. But if you define "different" in the negative form, I don't think you can convey your current feelings to Soujiro.
Perhaps Soujiro, who founded the West Wind Brigade right after the loss of the Prodigal Tea Party, was much more aware of the situation than Shiroe was.
The West Wind Brigade is the guild that Soujiro founded.
It's not a large guild, but it's one of the most influential guilds in the city of Akiba. The number of members is officially about 120. However, its actual number is said to be less than 60, and with that small number of members, it has rivaled the major guilds in Akiba, such as the D.D.D., the Black Sword Knights, and the Honestis.
Although they were never larger, they had fought for the vanguard of some of the biggest battles in the history of the server, such as the Throne of Radamanthus and the Nine Prisons of Halos, with the largest guilds.
In terms of battle results, or perhaps even more brilliantly than the big guilds with large numbers of reserve personnel.
The guilds are not too worried about it. Shiroechi has decided to conquer, so we must be proud of them. Shiroechi is now our landlord on the fringes.
Nyanta's words reminded Shiroe that she had said that.
Just as Shojiro had created a place for himself and protected it, Shiroe was going to create a new place for herself. You can't stay in your mind forever.
'Good evening. It's good to see you, Shiroe. Long time no see, Shirou-senpai.
The approaching figure called out to them while they were still at a distance. The young expression on Soujiro's face made Shiroe say so. They were younger than him, he recalled. It had been almost a year since they had spoken to each other like this.
It's not a good idea. It's a good idea.
Long time no see. Have you been doing well, Souji?
At their greeting, Soujiro shrugs his head in embarrassment.
As they laughed at each other in this way, it seemed that time had returned.
Soujiro approached, lightly dodging the countless ivy hanging over the platform. A glowworm softly dodged his hand and fluttered in the air.
The approaching Soujiro was dressed like a late-Bakufu patriot, dressed in a kimono and hakama, with a two-pronged attack on his waist. Of course, in a full-blown battle, he would probably wear armor, but this is probably the extent of his armament in the city.
I heard you formed a guild. How's it going?
Yes, thanks to you. Yes, thanks to you. We were getting on track for a while, but then, all of a sudden, there was a catastrophe.
Soujiro shrugs his shoulders.
Shiroe suddenly realizes by the expression on his face.
Come to think of it, Naotsugu, Nyanta and Soudjirō, including himself, don't seem to be in the least bit dumbfounded by the catastrophe. Perhaps it's the prodigal tea party gene, that no matter how bad the situation is, they take it as half sightseeing, half adventure.
Are you still with little girl Sahime, Nazuna?
"Nazuna is with you. Sahime is in the same guild with us, but she didn't seem to be logged in at the time of the catastrophe.
Nyanta asked the name of the healer who was a skilled healer at the Prodigal's Tea Party with him. That question reminded Shiroe of another reason why she hadn't joined Soujiro's guild, come to think of it.
''Is Soujiro still a player?''
'What? Oh......... No, no.
Suddenly, Soujiro starts to become sluggish. Nyanta narrowed his thread-thin eyes even more and asked, "I'm in my youth. How many are you now? I ask.
In response to the question, Soujiro gently raises one hand and breaks only his thumb.
(Well, it's still a harem state, huh? It's not that I'm jealous of you... but... but... But it doesn't make sense to me that there are four of us.....................it's a feeling. What is it? Four people. (What kind of gorgeous members are Nazuna, Sahime and two others...)
Shiroe feels weakness.
'That's not the point, is it? What's wrong with you? I can't believe White called me out on this. I thought Shiro-senpai didn't like me.
What? Why?
Shiroe asks back with a straight face at the unexpected words.
''No, because. Well ... I have a harem constitution.
Shiroe has no words to say in return to Soujiro, who is blushing and stammering. Next to him, Nyanta is laughing loudly and cackling. If it were Naotsugu, he would have been quick to give the chop.
It's a serious matter, but I wouldn't hate it for that. We were part of the tea party.
'Well, yes.... But then, what can I do for you?
Shiroe straightened up in response to Soujiro's question and regained his strength.
''To put it bluntly, I need your help.
What kind of power is that?
What do you think of this Akiba town right now, Souji?
'This city, huh? That's a bit abstract, isn't it? I'm sure that's a lot of painful. Not just this city, but the whole world is a prison, depending on how you look at it.
Prison.
Soujiro ruffled his hair. As he does so, his samurai-style ponytail flutters in the wind on the platform.
'Yes.' -- I was suddenly caught up in a different world, and I was in a different world. I don't know how to get home. I don't know how to die. That's the way the world works, and the outside of the city is crawling with monsters. I understand why we, but normal players, feel trapped in this world.
Yeah. That's a fair point.
Nyanta nodded at Soujiro's story.
Soujirou put into words clearly what everyone had vaguely thought. Indeed, when you think about it, Shiroe thinks it's natural to feel trapped.
''That's why it's hard, I don't think it's good. I think it's not good. To tell the truth, our guild is even discussing the idea of leaving the city already.
Akiva, are you leaving?
No, it's just that there's talk of such a thing, but it's not something concrete yet. It's convenient to have the headquarters in town. But the atmosphere of the city is becoming more and more desolate, and it's hard to watch. There's nothing we can do about it.
So says Soujiro.
I can't do anything about it, and it's definitely not an abdication of responsibility to say that line so plainly. Sojiro wanted to do something, and he properly considered the possibility of doing so. He's only saying that honestly because he decided that he couldn't do anything about it.
(And to prove it, his voice is bitter...)
I'll find a way.
Are you sure? White, senior.
I think.
Shiroe honestly avoids assurances. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work, but I can't guarantee it. It's a good thing that you're not the only one who can do this.
That's why we don't give guarantees to people we want to be our "friends".
And for that, I ask you to help me.
What do you want me to do?
Not only do I have to borrow the name of Soujiro, I also have to borrow the name of the West Wind Brigade.
Shiroe looked straight at Soujirou and said, "If you are right, as Nyanta said, that all things have a birth and a death, and that we need to make an effort to live our lives to the fullest, then the West Wind Brigade was born and protected.
If, as Nyanta says, all things have a birth and a death, and it takes effort to live out that life, then the person who gave birth to the West Wind Brigade and protected it has paid his or her fair share of love and effort. I can't turn away from him to borrow that power.
This was even more so when Shiroe was aware that she hadn't used her power to nurture anything.
I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot more information on this topic.
'For one thing, I want you to tell everyone around you that the atmosphere in Akiba right now is not good. That it's going to get rough if it continues like this,'' I'd appreciate it if you could pass it on to the other major guilds.
'That's fine, yes. But we all feel that way at some point.
'But I think it's important to put it into words properly. It's enough to make them think that the West Wind Brigade thinks so, and that maybe they'll move.
The other thing is that in a few days, I expect to receive an invitation. If you can, I want you to stay in Akiba until that day. It's an invitation to a meeting. I hope to come to some sort of resolution at that meeting.
Yes, sir.
Sohjirou readily agrees with a slack expression on his face.
'Are you sure? Don't ask me how it happened or what the plan was.
But you're busy, right, White? I'm sorry that I'm taking up so much of your time with that. Besides, I'm an avant-garde idiot, you know. Just because I've heard the plans of the most senior tactical officer at the tea party, doesn't mean I know half of what's going on.
Shiroe flinched at the warmth of his words.
Shiroe herself hadn't expected to be trusted this much. Even though they had been apart for a year. Even though she'd shaken off his hand once.
'You're a good girl, Sohji.
I even got a compliment from Master Nyanta.
Souji smiled at that and looked straight at them, his expression tightening.
''And that's a completely different matter, Shiro-senpai. Master Nyanta. ........Would you like to join the
This may sound strange, but... but wouldn't it be more efficient to use the "West Wind Brigade" sign for that strategy that Shiro-senpai is trying to implement? --No?
Soujirou's offer to straighten his posture was reasonable, but the current Shiroe couldn't nod his head. If it had been Shiroe last week, he might have been able to nod. But now Shiroe already had a home.
''Do you still hate me? I
Shiroe shakes his head, and Soujiro responds in a somewhat hushed voice.
Shiroe touches his shoulder, thinking that this is the second time he's refused Soujiro's invitation.
With the words Nyanta had told her, Shiroe finally saw clearly what she needed to do. It was something he had been turning away from until now.
I've been indulging in the kindness of Naotsugu and Akatsuki, and with Nyanta's protection, I've been able to avoid saying anything.
'It's really not like that. Sojiro.
........You know what, I....
I've decided that it's time for me to create a proper place for myself. I've been running away from all the troublesome things I encountered in the past, and I've come this far, but I finally understand that I need to be on the side of protection.
I've started my own guild. We don't have many people, and we're just getting started. I finally realized that it is by creating a place for someone else that I can create a place for myself for the first time.
You're not going to be able to do that.
Since the opening of Crescent Moon, Akiba's streets have come to life.
It is a mere matter of food and drink, but it is also a meal.
The people of Akiba, who had been eating completely tasteless food in the past, were quickly attracted to the new taste. The food at Crescent Moon is mainly take-out, and although the food is not exactly a grand feast by the standards of the original world, in this other world, it is more delicious than anything else.
In the beginning, the supply system was not able to keep up with the three shops, but within a few days of opening, the fourth shop opened. The Crescent Moon Alliance's Summoner Summoner summoned a fire lizard (Salamander) to heat up the griddle, and cut up pizzas and custard pudding with sweet cream were added to the menu, which were also met with rave reviews.
The people of Akiba have been aware from the very beginning that Crescent Moon is just a small and medium-sized guild run by the Alliance of the Crescent Moon. There was some criticism that small and medium-sized guilds would monopolize the new recipes, but in the world's climate, the first to achieve success is the one who achieves justice, and that is why they were silenced.
In fact, there was even a blackmailing letter to the Crescent Moon Alliance asking them to release a new recipe, but they knew that this was just a false accusation.
Around the time of the opening of the fourth shop, a rumor began to circulate in the city.
It was that the Crescent Moon Alliance had joined forces with the three major Akiba producers' guilds, the Maritime Organization, Roderick's Trading Company, and the Eighth Shopping Street.
The three major producers' guilds have a total of over 5,000 members. That's one third of all the players in Akiba, a huge force. As if to confirm this rumor, the market has become more active in the trade of some foodstuffs, and the Eighth Shopping Street has begun to buy up all the ingredients.
Although the new menu at the four shops increased the turnover of customers, the Crescent Moon's food supply could not keep up with the demand. It was barely enough to handle the nearly 1,500 customers in all of the restaurants combined, which was more than enough to keep up with demand.
Many of the people of Akiba had experienced the taste of a good hamburger taken out from the Crescent Moon, and those who had had one would ask for a second one. Now that they remembered the taste they had become accustomed to in the old world, it was painful to go back to their tasteless, bland life of space food.
It was not unusual for people to line up before dawn to get to Crescent Moon, and numbered tickets were given out.
This "Crescent Moon" boom had a positive effect on many places.
First of all, the food at Crescent Moon was reasonably expensive. The food at the Crescent Moon is decently expensive, three to six times more expensive than what you would pay for a meal in the market. Of course, few people in Akiba, where there is nowhere else to spend their money and no entertainment, would hesitate to pay that much for a meal. But while there is no hesitation, it does require a certain amount of money on hand.
If you eat Crescent Moon hamburgers for three meals a day (assuming you are lucky enough to buy that many!) , as much as 2,700 gold coins per month.
Until now, life in the city of Akiba had cost very little money, so there were people who sank to their knees every day in the ruins of the city, drowning in the sorrow of not being able to return to their world. It was a big change that even those people were willing to earn a few pennies.
In the central square of the city of Akiva, an open recruitment was held for the first time in an extremely long time. It was an open recruitment for a hunting expedition with temporary companions, unrelated to the guild. This type of recruitment, where participants who were looking for a companion would gather together and go out, was rare in this different world today, and it was attracting a lot of attention in the square.
When it was time for them to leave, the Crescent Moon shopkeepers who had also set up shop in the plaza said in unison, "It's time to go! I waved my hand in the air.
Of course, it had nothing to do with the fact that one of the participants of that special party had bought a bottle of Black Rose Tea for a meal on the way to the party, but it was a strange, heartwarming sight that I had never seen before, not even in the days of the Elder Tail.
But it was a strange and heartwarming sight, something I had never seen even in the days of the Elder Tail. The participants of the temporary party departing from the city of Akiba smiled ticklishly as they departed.
Outside of that kind of personal economic activity, there was also movement in the marketplace. Prices of some food items such as "young venison", "potatoes" and "thunderbird meat" began to rise.
These were the result of the Eighth Shopping District's cautious buying, but when the price goes up, there are always those who respond and try to supply. Some guilds, sensing this information, voluntarily organized a material procurement team and began to supply the market. They must have anticipated the rise in prices and planned to make a huge profit.
However, Karashin of the Eighth Shopping Street had already seen this coming and had already approached more than a dozen small adventure guilds he was familiar with to organize a large expedition team directly.
They would schedule a hunt that would last several days and arrange for replacements to be sent out. They organized local hunting teams and teams that would bring back to the city the fruits of their labors, creating a system to support the material supply lines themselves as producers' guilds.
This was the first time in the history of the Elder Tail that a system of direct support had been established by the Producer's Guild to support the fighting guilds, not only since the Great Disaster, but also since the beginning of the Elder Tail's history.
This approach worked, and the Eighth Shopping District succeeded in obtaining large quantities of materials at a fixed price without excessive reliance on the market.
Players who had never been out of town before would now have to go out and buy consumables and repairs. This will give more room for craftsmen to play an active role. It was still a subtle change, but the city of Akiba was about to change little by little.
Could Crescent Moon be the source of this change?
If the Crescent Moon Alliance had completely joined forces with the three largest producers' guilds in Akiba, it would be a sixth of the size of the players on the Japanese server. This meant the birth of at least the largest scale of power on the Japanese server.
Recently, the Crescent Moon Alliance has received many inquiries from other cities. And although there is no end to the number of requests to join the guild, Marielle keeps turning them down, saying, "We'll have to wait until the end of the month.
The fact that the combat guild type players, who usually do not interfere with the producers' guild and live in a different world, also seemed to be interested in this fact.
In this world where there is no Web or WebTV, or even entertainment, rumors are a big part of the entertainment.
People in the city of Akiba would gather here and there to talk about their predictions and speculations without getting bored. Among those rumors were the name of Marielle, the bright and caring guild master of the Crescent Moon Alliance, Henrietta, who is rumored to be a talented young woman, and the still-young battle commander Kowloon, but at the same time, some of the older players and those who were more upbeat about the situation spoke in hushed tones of Shiroe, Naotsugu, and Nyanta, and the "Prodigal's Tea Party". And they muttered the name of the Tea Party of the Prodigal as if they remembered it.
But few of them realized that they weren't the only adventurers who were telling their stories.