A few days have passed since the construction of the harbor started.
We talked about some dark things, but the gloomy atmosphere didn't last long, and we were back to our busy but noisy daily lives.

'Well, the 42nd district is fun.

It was late afternoon, and Javier was exposing his uncomfortable face in the sunlit pavilion.

'Work.
'I'm in the Forty-second Ward to work, I am!

Javier, who is supposed to cooperate with the construction of the port, has been staying at Imelda's lately.

'I get to see my darling daughter every day, there's a public bath, and I get to say 'welcome home' and 'thank you' every day to my sister who's helping me!Mmmm ...... already!I'm going to be a child of the forty-two wards!
'Then I'll give you my last will and testament.
'Imelda?

The Devil Axe looms behind me.
Javier screams at the blade suddenly pointed at his neck.

'You're exaggerating, it's only a blade.
'No, I'll die!Even I'll die if I get my neck chopped off!
'No way. That's not possible. I'm just trying to--'
I'll die!

Javier confiscated the Devil Axe and sat Imelda down next to him.
Why don't you eat at home?
Imelda's chef had once come to Ginette to learn how to cook.
Because Imelda wouldn't eat at home.
The chef was a little down in the dumps.

Well, maybe it's worth it, but lately Imelda's visits to the Sunken Pavilion have been decreasing.
You're working hard, aren't you, chef?

'Eat at home. It tastes better now, doesn't it?
'It's true that Imelda's food is delicious.
'Of course it is. She's our head chef.'
'But I had some business with you today.'

Javier points at me.
With a serious expression.

'There are some strange faces lurking by the gate, so be careful. Especially you, Yashiro.'

Javier says there are a few men who look like ruffians hanging around near the gate.
They don't do anything in particular, but just having them around is creepy enough.
Are they monitoring us, or are they planning to do something when the time comes?

'I'm going to go to District Forty-One and ask Medora for reinforcements. I'll have my young men and some of the hunting guild patrol the area. It'll be enough of a deterrent just to give them a glare.

I've always imagined that when the construction work starts in earnest, the number of dangerous people will increase.
The only time we can be safe and secure and be in a flower garden is when the impact is limited to the forty-two wards.
As it spreads outward, such interference will naturally occur.

...... It's a pain in the ass.

There are always going to be those trash who are only concerned with their own interests and pulling down the others.
You know, the kind of scum who only care about gaining face and harassing others for the sake of living.

'Then tell Estella that.
'Of course, I've already gotten my lord's approval. I went to talk to him first thing in the morning.''

As is to be expected, Javier's actions are lean.
But that's not what I'm trying to tell you.

'Tell him to be prepared for some trouble from Wishart in the near future.
'What do you mean by that?'

Estella peeked out from behind Javier.
...... Are you growing out of Javier's back?

'Javier. You've got a flat-chested girl on your shoulder.'
'Excuse me. I just walked in the door like a normal person.'

Apparently, I just couldn't see Javier because his huge body was sitting across from me, blocking my entire view.
Bulky, you old man.

'Anyway, did you get any information?

Estella says as she sits down next to me.
Javier and Imelda are sitting across from me, so there's only room next to me.
It's rare that Estella sits next to me when I'm sitting at the back of the room.
She usually sits across from me.

'I don't have any information, but the wave attack is effective in exhausting the opponent.
'Wave attack?'

It's a common practice of the villains to launch a coordinated offensive while maintaining the pretense that there is no relationship between the two sides.
The aristocracy and the general public each raise their voices in protest for 'legitimate reasons'.
The noblemen and the common people will each raise their voices in protest for the 'right reasons', so that they can be accused loudly of being unjust, uncaring and wrong.

They pick up only a few of the protesters and accuse us of unsupportive and selfish behavior.
We are lucky if the irrelevant audience is fooled by this and sympathizes with us.
Even if they don't, they will try to build a situation in which they can take advantage of you by leaving behind the fact that you 'protested' and piling it up.

'Even if I say this much, he won't even listen to me.

'You see the 'ordinary citizens' hanging around at the gate?
'Normal' ......?



Estella arches her eyebrows as if to argue, but the fact is that there are some stinky people walking around who look like ruffians.
There is no way to prove that they are not 'ordinary citizens'.
Even if they are there under someone's orders, you can't expose their lies unless you use the Judgment of Spirits.
If the lord were to cast the Judgment of the Spirits at random just because someone was loitering near the gate, the bad reputation would spread.

Unless they have done something to deserve it, there is no other way but to treat them as 'ordinary citizens'.

'Then, some lord comes to protest through the nobleman's route. I don't care if it's at the level of a quarrel. This means that the construction of the port is 'a project that both the citizens and the nobles are worried about'. ............

I'm not sure what to make of that.
I'm not sure what to make of it. ...... Oh, right.
I'm sure the thirtieth ward will use it against us.

'Eh......, what?You look really uncomfortable, what did you come up with?

Estella asks me with a look of disgust on her face.
You want to know?
Really?

Then let's get in a bad mood together.

'The construction of the harbor is being carried out amidst the fears of the residents. There are reports that some worried nobles have complained, but the Lord of the Forty-second Ward refuses to listen to them, and anxiety continues to spread among the residents. I wonder if the day will ever come when the 42nd district lord's eyes will turn from short-term profits to the safety of the residents...''
'What's with that unpleasant editorial that seems to twist my gut?
'If such an article were to appear in an information paper, the young people of BU might mistakenly believe that the construction of the port is a project being carried out by a money-grubbing lord at the expense of the safety of the people.
'Haaaaaaah!

Estella's face was stern and indignant, more powerful than a kabuki play's grand gesture.

'If you publish such an untrue article, I'll protest immediately.
'But you're not lying when you say "residents", are you?I didn't say I was a resident.

You're a resident if you live somewhere, even if it's not in District 42.
It's a tasty expression that can be used twice or thrice at the same time, because anyone can call themselves a 'resident,' and it gives the illusion of a close relationship, and it can even show that you are in a weak position.
If it is used abusively, it will become fishy, but if it is used at the right moment, it is very effective.

Once, in a country, there was a war between drug traffickers, and one of the members was shot dead. At that time, the newspaper blamed only one of the drug organizations with the following headline.
"Drug Gang Member Shoots and Kills Foreign Student".

It is impossible for a person who only reads the newspaper to understand that the "foreign student" is a member of a drug trafficking organization and has a lot of power.
It is the first step of information manipulation to deceive people into thinking that you are in a weak position and that you are a good person.

'Javier. Have you ever been asked to make a donation to an information paper?'
'Hmm?Yeah, a long time ago. But I wasn't interested in the fashions of the young people of BU, so I said no.'
'I'm a donor. I'm sending you the latest issue.'
'If they're talking to Javier, they're probably talking to Wishart.
'If Wishart is donating a lot of money to the paper, they might try to use .......'

Estella's expression sinks at the thought.

'...... I didn't want to hear that.
'If I hadn't listened to you, I would have been behind the curve, you know?You should take action immediately.

Imelda, one of the donors, is nailing Estella to the wall.
If it comes to it, Imelda will protest with us.
Protests from donors might be a little easier to reach.

'......Does Wishart still think he can profit from sabotaging the construction, ......?
'No, I'm not so sure about that one.

It was Javier who objected to Estella's muttering.
As the head of the Woodcutter's Guild, Javier had met Wishart many times before, and his ever-present broad smile had faded to a frown as he whispered.

'He's even more viciously corrupt. He probably doesn't care about profit - well, I can't imagine he'd give up completely - but he's probably ignoring it right now.
'Then he's harassing Yashiro-san, isn't he?

Estella and the others look at me.

'He tried to give her a bad time and failed, so now he will try to harass her in different ways. The reason is simple and clear: they don't like you.

'That's what nobility is all about,' says Imelda with a cool face.
As the daughter of an upwardly mobile aristocrat, her expression clearly showed that she had been harassed in various ways by the aristocrats.
She's had a hard time too, hasn't she?

In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site.
'Heh, ...... insidious.'
'You're just too straight. You're just too straightforward in your character and your breasts.
'That's a lot of words, Imelda.'
'And your tits!
'Hey, Imelda. I saw a girl shouting 'tits too! What am I supposed to say when I see a girl screaming 'Tits too!

Give it up, Javier.
It's too late for your daughter.

But you're right. ......

'We'll have to do something about that.

I let out a sigh of gloom.




'Oh, ...... that was .......'

Shortly after Estella's expression clouded over with the insidiousness of the nobles, a wounded man was carried into the sunlit pavilion.

'Hey, what's up, Goozuya?



He's a carpenter at Torbeck Construction, a long, thin man with a history with the Sunlit Pavilion.
Well, I don't want to say anything about it now because the past evasions have already been settled.
In the first place, I met Umaro because of his attempt to overturn the evasion.
You never know where fate will take you.

So, this tall guy, Goozuya, is holding his shoulder.
If you look, you'll see that he's bleeding slightly.

'What's wrong?Did you get hit by a hexenbiest or something?
'Oh, Yashiro-san!It's not like that!

Goozuya is getting very excited.
The other carpenter, who had carried Goozuya up here on his shoulders, said, 'Well, well.

'What's going on?

The other carpenter, who was relatively calm, told me that some men were laughing at Gusuya as he was returning to his post after his break.
'What's with the skinny guy? How can he do his job like that? They said, 'It's tough being a Torbek with all that baggage...' 'Nah, he'll probably get eaten by a hexenbiest and die sooner or later.

Goozha was pissed off, but he had four opponents.
All of them were bigger than Goozuya and worse than him, so Goozuya tried to leave without saying anything.
But the men said, 'What are you looking at? and attacked Gusuya.

'Thanks to the hunting guild rushing in, it didn't turn out to be a big deal, but Goozuya-san fell when he was running away. ......'

So, he came to the sunny pavilion to be treated.

'How ...... terrible of them to injure a carpenter's arm.'

Estella clenched her fists in anger.

'Goozja. Do you remember the men's faces?'
'Well, sort of. I think I know them when I see them.'
'Then if you see them again, report them to the guards at once. I'll never forgive those who hurt you.'
'No, that's ......'.

Gooziya was slurring her words.
If you ask me why...

'They emphasized the fact that they fell down and hurt themselves. ...... It's true that they were injured because they fell, and I think that even the Judgment of the Spirits can't judge them. ......'
'I don't care. I'm not going to let them do whatever they want in my city.

Even if it means making enemies with other lords.
Such determination was in Estella's eyes.

'Yashiro-san. Here's the medicine chest.

Ginette brings me the medicine chest.

'Are you in pain, Miss Gooziya?
'No, no. It's really just a self-inflicted fall. ......'
'Don't push yourself too hard, okay?I think it's fine for adult men to want to be pampered by someone at times.''
'Haha. Thank you, manager.''

Gooziya bowed to Ginette's smiling face.
He takes out antiseptic solution and gauze and begins to treat Goozuya's wound.
She doesn't seem to be badly injured, but sprains and bruises get worse after a while.
We can't be too careful.

'Has that ever happened to you before?
'No,......, well, I thought there were some stinky people lurking around. But they just kept looking at me, so I didn't pay any attention to them. ......'

I asked as I patched him up, and Gooziya snorted, his brow wrinkling.
He must be frustrated that he could do nothing but run away, even if it meant avoiding trouble.
He's a man.

'They wanted to get to you when the master and Mr. Yamboldo were away.

The other carpenter, who had brought in Goozja and who was relatively calm, snorted angrily.
The other carpenter, who had been relatively calm when he brought in the goozja, snorted.

'They don't do anything when the master carpenters are around,' he said.
'Are they messing with you when they're not?
'Well, ...... they'll giggle, point at you and tell you things in confidence.'

...... It's also something else.

'That's another form of gaslighting.'

It's a kind of gaslighting that makes you think you're doing something that people will laugh at. It's a kind of gaslighting.
...... They've just confessed that they have the same roots as the masterminds behind the attack on Torbeck Engineering.

'Don't worry about it. Tell your fellow carpenters that they are scum who can do no better. If someone laughs at you, think 'Oh, there's an idiot who can only do what he's told,' and laugh in your heart.

If you can ignore them, it's best to ignore them.

'And then, Goozuya.
'...... yes?'

Let me tell you something, Goozuya, the expression on your face still doesn't feel right.

'It's a big deal, you know.

You know how right you were to do what you did.

'You persevered well. You're cool, man.'
'What?No, but I just ran away and--'
''It's pretty hard to not deal with someone, isn't it?I'm saying you put up with it well.'


'Patience is ......'
'It's true that violence is one of the quickest ways to release stress when you're angry. It's a fool's errand that makes everything worse except for the 'feeling better' part.

Estella must know that.
When you have to bow down even if it's not your fault.
There are times when you have to pull back your fist in response to unreasonableness.
You know how stressful that can be.

'If you had hit me, I would have been attacked extensively for being violent at Torbeck Engineering. Worst case scenario, you would have been expelled from the union, suspended, told to replace the head of the building manager, etc.'
'That ......?Because the other side started a fight--!
'It's like the gaslighting at Torbek's store. They were trying to get us to explode. You can twist the truth any way you want.

It's rather easy not to lie.
It's easy to hide the truth in this city.
And there's plenty of scum in this city who use it for evil.

'You shut it down. You, okay, you, of all people, prevented the attack on Torbeck Engineering. You should be more proud of yourself.
'Yes, sir. I also think you made a great decision, Goozuya.''
'I agree with you. You have a good eye, Gooziya.
'Everyone......-san............ ugh!I'm really ...... very frustrated ............ but if you guys say so... I'm proud of you!I'm proud of you!
That's what makes a man.That's what makes you a man, young man of Torbek!

Bang, bang!And Javier knocks Goozja on her back.
'Aaaaah! Goozuya's scream roars, and I sigh.
Don't add more places to heal.

'...... Goozuya. Magda will testify to Umaro that Goozuya was not wrong.
'Really, Magda-tan?Yay!If I get Magda's testimony, I'll never get angry!In fact, I might even get promoted!

What kind of promotion system do you have at your place?
What kind of promotion system do you have?Thanks to Goozuya, I got Magda to talk to me!You're promoted! What?That corrupt organization needs to go down.

Anyway, tell the woodcutter, the hunter, and the guards about this and have them reinforce security.
...... d*mn you. You're making me go to a lot of trouble.


Hey, mastermind.
If you catch that tail, you'll pay for everything you've done so far, okay?
Be prepared for that.



But the next day.
Something happened that doubled our stress.





"Brawl in broad daylight!
An unbelievable incident occurred in District 42, where a new port is currently under construction.
A brawl broke out in broad daylight between the carpenters of Torbeck Engineering, who are engaged in the construction of the port, and the residents who question the safety of the port.
The incident, which escalated into bloodshed, shocked many of the residents and dealt a serious blow to the trust of the lord, who was committed to safety.
Those who witnessed the incident said, "I felt very scared," "I've never had an incident like this before," and "I feel like the security around the city gate has been deteriorating lately," and they could not hide their anxiety.

The day after Gusuya was injured.
The day after Guzuya was injured, the latest issue of the "Information Paper" that Imelda had brought with her contained such an article.

'You were right, Yashiro. You're right, Yashiro. They're changing your point of view.'

Estella grits her teeth.
It's true that there was a brawl and bloodshed.
But the article is misleading you into thinking that 'the carpenters of Torbek's construction company caused the violence.

'It's absolutely appalling. As for the eyewitness testimony, it's a concern about the recent increase in the number of men who seem to be ruffians, but it's being manipulated to give the impression that public safety has deteriorated because of Torbek's construction.

Imelda, who seemed to be very upset by this article, frowned, her beautiful face deeply wrinkled.
It was rare for her to express her displeasure so clearly.

'I'll protest right away.
'Wait.'

I calm Estella down as she stands up.

'If we go in head on, they'll just say, "We didn't mean to."'
'But such a blatant--!
'The reporter was inexperienced, so it was difficult to convey our true intentions in the text. If you get a reply saying 'I'll be careful from now on', how are you going to attack next?
'I'll go to ...... or demand a rewrite.
'To the same reporter?I'm sure they'll write something like, 'We're revising this because we received a protest from a very upset lord,' and give the impression that you're trying to hide the facts.
'Then go to the headquarters that publishes the 'Information Paper' and--'
'Please wait.

Tapping Estella on the shoulder with a fan, Imelda took up the information paper.



'Look here'.

At the bottom of the article.
An official of the Public Works Guild Union told this reporter that 'there have been a lot of bad rumors about Torbeck Engineering recently,' and that 'if the problems continue, we will have to consider disciplinary action.

'The matter is not confined to the 'Information Paper'.
'...... another union'.

Estella clenched her fist and slammed it into her palm.
It must be quite frustrating to be dragged down so many times in a row.
If it weren't for the interference from other parties, the construction would be going much more smoothly.
...... has just begun, but if the obstructions continue, the construction period will get longer and longer.
The longer the construction period, the more money you will have to spend.
The more time you spend, the more money you'll spend.

Yashiro-san!

Goozuya comes rushing into the sunlit pavilion.
His face is pale and he looks like he's about to cry.

'The master of the building has been summoned by the union and has gone to the headquarters!
'Umaro?
'Yes!He asked for a detailed explanation about yesterday's incident. ...... He sent a carriage to pick me up before the sun had even risen. ......'

When Umaro didn't show up at the time the construction was to begin, I went to his house and found a note.

'And now, Yamboldo-san has left to go to the headquarters,......, and he said that it would be better to let Yashiro-san know about it,......, so!
''Just calm down. Ginette, get Goozuya some water.'
'Yes, sir.

Gooziya's knees trembled and she slumped to the floor, wondering what kind of reckless, all-out sprint she had done.
Magda pats her on the back.

'I told you about yesterday, didn't I?
'Yes ...... Magda-tan, you came with me.'
'I explained the ...... details.'

He knows what happened.
But he doesn't know about this 'information paper'.
Before giving us enough information, they called in the person in charge who was not involved in the incident and questioned him from the top with unclear criteria for judgment, hoping to exhaust him.
Umaro, who was not at the scene of the incident, may not know the details and may not be able to answer many of the questions.
If they can get him to bow down, even if it is just for the time being, they will win. They will be able to say that they have admitted their fault and drive you away.
You can twist the facts and make a big deal out of it.

When Umaro came back and saw the "Information Paper" and was angry, he apologized first, and any protest he made later would be less effective.
You can't just say, 'You just admitted you were wrong.

'...... It's a pain in the ass to have people messing with you from all over the place like this.

Estella grits her teeth.
It's ...... all over the place.

It's true that we seem to be being attacked from many directions at the same time.
But ...... the roots are all connected to Wishart.
Harassment of the Trubek contractors who refused to work exclusively with him.
Harassment of the 42nd district for refusing to participate in the profits.
And sabotaging the construction of the port I've made such a big deal of protecting.

All in the service of Wishart's will.
I'm not an upright man of the law. Circumstantial evidence is all I need.
If I'm wrong and there's someone else behind this, then I'll say 'sorry'.

'Whatever the case may be, the fact that the union sabotaged the construction of the port will not disappear no matter how we try to explain it.

This time, the union has clearly dragged the 42nd district down.
Even though we had given them a very lenient judgment to leave it to Umaro, they stirred up the fires themselves.

'We'll have to persuade Umaro when he comes back.
'Not consult, huh?

Even though she asked in a questioning manner, Estella herself seemed to have made up her mind.

'I'm going to ask Torbeck Engineering to leave the union. There's no harm in that.
'I agree with you. The Lord of the Forty-second District can make up for any losses caused by this.
'You don't have to go that far, we'll appeal to the master!Let's not put up with this anymore!Even Mr. Yangbold was at his limit!So were the other carpenters!
'......' Magda said, 'I'm all yours.

It was a bad idea to act so quickly.
The only reason we've been able to maintain our status up to this point is because of the great concessions we've made.
We misunderstood the value of the special benefits we had been given and took them for granted.
He's a poor organizer. Even if he wasn't at the top, it only proves that the leaders were too incompetent to stop his misdeeds.

'I'll write a letter to Mr. Lucia.

Probably, if Torbek's contractor left the union, the carpenters of District 35 would be affected.
There is a very high possibility that the union will interfere and say, 'We won't rent out union members to the 42nd district.
The people at Kawaya Corporation do not have that much power.
I'm sorry to involve them in our affairs. I can't take responsibility.

So we have no choice but to ask them to back off this time.
The construction of the harbor will be done by Torbeck Engineering alone.
Lucia may complain, but I'm sure she'll lower her fist if it means protecting the people of her district.

'Estella-san. I'm going to go to Lucia's.'

Loretta raises her eyebrows and advises Estella.



'In this kind of thing, speed is of the essence. We should contact them right away and coordinate immediately. Right, big brother?'
'Hmm?Well, that's true, but ......'

Loretta seems to be a little too forward.
I'm sure.

'Umaro is ...... indebted to Torbeck Engineering for accepting my younger siblings, for trusting me, for giving me a job, for opening up ...... possibilities!I will not tolerate anyone who bows to the Torbeck Corporation. I'm not going to allow anyone to bow to the Trubecks.

The reason why Ham and the others were able to gain the trust of the people was because they were allowed to work at the Torbeck Engineering Shop, which is considered to be a first-class store.
It was because of that that we became the Hammocks we are today.
Wherever I go, people trust me and entrust me with their work.

Loretta has always cherished that debt.
No matter how close we become, I will never forget the favor I received. I won't lose it. I don't despise it.
That's who she is.

All right. I'll write you a letter right here. Can you get it to me super-express?'
'Yes, sir!

Estella knows that too, so she leaves it to Loretta.
Lucia also seems to like Loretta and will be able to share information with her without losing time.

'Um, Loretta-san. Aren't your younger brothers faster than you, Loretta?
'It's too dangerous to send my brothers to Lucia's place, so I'll go!

Yes. It seems his trust in Lucia is still a little low.
And I'm sure her fears will come true.
Wise decision, Loretta.

'Good. I've simplified it a lot, but I'm sure Lucia will understand. Loretta, take care of her.
'Yes, sir!Bye, Manager. I have to leave work for a while.'
'Yes, sir. Loretta-san, I hope you have a safe trip home.
'Haha, that's what Magda always does for me. ......'

Loretta smiles happily at Ginette's prayer.

'I'm a hundred times more energetic!I'll be there and back in a flash!

Putting Estella's letter in her heart, Loretta opens the door.

'When Mr. Umaro comes back, tell him I'm on his side.

With that, Loretta runs out.
The dust rises and the footsteps move away at a great speed.

'Yes, sir. I'll be sure to tell her.

Ginette muttered to herself as she saw Loretta off.





Just before noon, Umaro came back.

'Mr. Yashiro. I need to talk to you.

His serious expression showed no signs of impatience, anxiety, anger or hatred.
All that could be seen was the gracefulness of a man who was looking ahead to the future.
I guess he has made up his mind.

'Torbeck Construction Company has decided to leave the union.
'''' You've done it! ''''
'What?...... What?'

I, Estella, Magda, and Goozja voiced our admiration at Umaro's declaration.

'I mean, why are you talking like such a big shot?
'It hurts, it hurts, sir!Isn't that a groove, a groove?
'No matter what, hierarchy is absolute!

Goozuya was punished for being overzealous, and we kept our heads in the sand.
'Ugh, ...... you all are so heartless, aren't you? ......' We left the bitter Goozuya alone and listened to Umaro's story.

'How did it go?
'Not much, I guess. He came to a conclusion: 'We're not going to listen to you, we're not going to overturn your decision, and if you don't listen to us, we'll suspend you and replace your head at the top.
'That means, "I can't respond flexibly because I have orders from above."'
'Oh, ......, that's how it was, if you ask me.

If the union is really concerned about Trubek's behavior and wants to reform the structure at its own discretion, it should have listened to Umaro, and it probably would have.
If he can't do that, it's like saying that he can't go against what the "top" tells him to do.
There is only one answer, and it cannot be changed.

'So, what's going on?
'I took a cue from what Yashiro-san said before.
''Useless and titless tube tops are similar''?
'That's not it!
'...... "What color are your nipples?"'
'Yeah, Magda. When did I say that?



I've heard that line before in Blood.

So, that's it. It's true that I had a problem with Norton Engineering, so I admitted my fault and bowed to them. 'I'll take responsibility and leave the union,' I said.

Then it's going to be a poking and prodding festival from now on.

'So, what did they say?
'He said, "Do what you want."'
'I see. ......'

The union didn't seem to be holding Trubeck Engineering back.

'They said they'd take away all the jobs the union introduced them to.
'Did you guys do any work from the union?'
'Hmm~...... well, we've been offered a few jobs, such as making carriages for nobles and repairing the lord's mansion. But to be honest, they are not jobs assigned by the union. The union was just a contact point.

And you're patronizingly claiming that we introduced them to you. You were just passing through.
It's like a hallway is a suite.
Even if it is true that 'you can't get to the suite without the hallway', the hallway itself has no value equal to the suite.
In fact, if a fox who is a tiger grows up, it will undermine even the dignity of the tiger.

"10,000 yen toll for the corridor to the suite room.

If you set up such a system, even the value of the suite will fall to the ground.
It's unfair, impatient, and unpleasant.

'Then I guess we'll have to cut ties with the nobleman who hired Torbeck Engineering through the union.
'That's right. If you contact us individually, we'll consider it.
'But since the union will be spreading the bad news about Torbeck Engineering here and there, it might be harder for the nobles to contact them.
'Then that's fine. We'll work with people who need us.
'Yeah. I'm still going to need you guys to work for me, so be prepared for that.
'Haha. That's the best compliment I can give you.

And Estella and Umaro talking back to back.
Don't get used to that strange sight, boys.

'Also, we were told not to use the knowledge and skills we got from the union.
'What kind of knowledge and skills did you get from the union?
'Well, ......, I'm not quite sure about that. ...... Did something happen?
'Maintenance of the canner blade'.

I'm not sure what to make of it.
...... How long have you been there? I'm sure he came back with Umaro, so he's been there all along, right?Come on in, come on in, come on in, come on in.

'Isn't that already common knowledge among carpenters?

Guzuya bared his gums in anger.
As soon as the top two came back, his face regained its composure, this guy.

'If you want to use it, you have to pay a certain amount of money every year,' he said.
'Are you really going to accept that condition, boss?
'............'

Umaro lightly turned his head and silently lifted the corner of his mouth to .......

'I told him off!
'There it is!The first poke!
'I'm going to keep poking ...... me, I'm looking forward to it.

The carpenters get excited.
So, so... So you've been poking and prodding. That's good.

'Then I told them to pay us for the skills and knowledge we taught them. We've provided information on a technology that has never existed before, explicitly in the name of Torbek Engineering. We have all the documents. If the other side is going to go ahead with such arrogance in a state of uncertainty, we've got the evidence and said we're going to charge more than that!
'You're so cool, boss!
'I'll marry you.
'No thanks, Yamboldo!...... Don't look at me!

The union official was very disappointed, but he didn't want to lose the technology that Torbek had brought to the union, so the royalty was never discussed.

'That's sweet. Why don't you just tell him that you'll take the royalty for that?
'I thought Yashiro would have said that if he were here, but it was still too high a hurdle for me.

If you are taken to the opponent's home without any preparation and told to do this and that from the top in a high-handed manner, everyone will be deflated.
Well, the fact that he was able to stand his ground is a good thing.

'I'm sure you'll be harassed in the future, aren't you?
'No problem. We're here for you.'
'That's right, boss!No matter what they say, we're a Torbeck construction company with technical skills!Let's show off our power and blow away the harassment!
'You've become more reliable, Goozuya.
'Yes!Besides, we have Yashiro-san and Estella-san!
'...... you've suddenly become unreliable.'

......


Well, Estella will help you if you tell her.
I'm not so sure about that.

'Now, Loretta is going to Lucia's. She has Estella's letter.'
'Oh, that's good to hear. I'm sure she's going to cause trouble for Kawaya Corporation, so I thought I'd better go say hello to her. Estella-san, please let me know when you hear back.
'Yes. I'll make arrangements for that, and I'll tell her to meet you.

Once you've made up your mind, you can act fast.
That may be the strength of the 42nd district.



Goozuya raises her fist and shouts at the top of her voice.

'Despite appearances, the three of them are all black inside!There's nothing to be afraid of now!Hey, boss!
'...... No, I don't think Yashiro-san and Estella-san are that black-hearted.
'I don't think they're that black either.
'What, why is that?
I'm sure you'll be able to find something that will help you.
'I fell and hit my head this morning, so ......'
'What is it?Why don't you two look at me?

Umaro and Yamboldo slink away from the noisy Gusuya.
All three of them have their backs to us.
Goozuya, who is clinging to Oumalo and the others as they turn their backs and move away, has not noticed.
The face of the lord standing next to me, like a young man.

''Goozuya.''
''Yes?What's ......?There are two demons!
''Who's belly is black, can you tell me a little bit about it?Can you do that for me?Can you?Let me see your face!
''Horrible lines, horribly perfect humming!

The kind-hearted Estella and I, who wanted to help the troubled carpenters, kept our mouths shut even tighter, the source of any mischief that might interfere with our help.

Don't forget to be grateful.
Man is doomed if he lacks humanity.