'You ... no, Kaoru's creation is rated A, right?
Yeah.
'Right. And my smelting rank is A.
Hmmm, so that's your suggestion. I'm ranked B for my training.

　Demon King Kaoru smiles and replies.

　It seems that she understood the content of my proposal just from the conversation just now.

　As I thought, this guy is smart.

''What about the rate?''
We're equal in our relationship. So it's equal.
Yeah. 'Yes. We can continue the conversation here, but if you want, I'll invite you to a place to settle down, okay?

　Demon King Kaoru turned around and looked towards the back.

''No, the exit is closer, right here.''
You don't trust me that much?
We've got a lot of work to do to build each other's trust. Isn't that right?
Yes.

　As if he knew my answer, Demon King Kaoru nodded easily.

''Hey ... what are those guys talking about?　Do I have a chance?
I shook his hand, so no.
Aren't these guys too close?
Theon and Kaoru.....
What?
"Emo's here!
So what?

　The idiots in the back of the room started making noise. I was enjoying an intelligent conversation and now it's ruined.

　--Shut up!

I'm sorry ... my men.
''Haha. The strength was substandard, but Theon's men are substandard in personality as well.
I'm really sorry...
Ha-ha. Good. You're a lot more trustworthy than the Demon Lord who rules through fear. Why don't you explain it to him?

　Demon King Kaoru laughs happily.

''Tch........Takaharu. First of all, you're not on your own.......right?

　I shift my gaze to Kaoru one last time to check.

Yes, I hope so. I hope so, too.

　Kaoru smiles and replies.

'Next, what we're talking about right now between me and Kaoru is--a proposal for an exchange.
Exchange...?
It's an exchange of my smelted items for Kaoru's created staff.
"Oh ... human trafficking!　That's the Demon King.
Like trading Sabraw for a stick of wood?
What--?　I'm worth more than that!

　Takahar replaces the words with a boisterous one, Sarah sells Sabraw out, and Sabraw sounds misguided.

'What?　Would you trade that vampire over there for a wooden stick?
I won't... Besides, what I'm putting out is an item.
That's a shame. I'm sure I'm going to be very attractive to you.
"Lord Theon's passionate love for me...!　Sabraw-Zion, I have indeed received it!

　d*mn I'm getting off track.

In the meantime, you guys need to shut up.

　I give the orders to my idiot crew and get them back on track.

"So let's get down to brass tacks, shall we?
Theon and I I I'm hoping we can come to a mutually acceptable negotiation.

　Negotiations with Demon King Kaoru began.

''First of all, the rate, we're going to have an equivalent exchange, right?''
''A B-ranked item against a B-ranked distribution, and an A-ranked item against an A-ranked distribution. Is that what you mean?
That's what I thought.
I don't have a problem with that.
And I have one more request.
What is it?
'Kaoru's smelting is a B-grade, right?
Yes.
So we don't need an item that can be smelted with a B-rank, do we?
We'll see.
''Then the only items that can be exchanged are those items that have been able to be smelted and created from A-rank and the subordinates, right?
'Hmm ... I see. Good.

　Demon King Kaoru pondered for a little while, but agreed.

　This proposal was not a good intention.

　What I offer is an item. In contrast, what Kaoru offers is a subordinate.

　Kaoru only receives the item, but if I wanted to receive a subordinate, I would have to turn it into a subordinate.

　Receiving the item only consumes the entire CP. It was only natural, then, to hope for a subordinate of as high a quality as possible.

''Lastly, will the exchange take place immediately?　Or do you want to make a list of things that can be put out in exchange for each other and do it at a later date?
Maybe at a later date.
Okay.

　I exchanged phone numbers and email addresses with Demon King Kaoru. The exchange was to take place at a later date.


　　◆


Welcome back~. Did the alliance go well?

　Back in the control area, canon was the first to come running in.

The alliance is working.
Oh that's good.
I see you've gotten the Demon King Kaoru's attention.
Well I'm not so sure about that.

　I chuckled as I remembered the negotiations with Demon King Kaoru. I told Kanon about the negotiations with Demon King Kaoru.

'You were pretty sharp, weren't you?
If we'd kept fighting, we might have done more damage than we thought.
Forcing Mr. Theon to say that........my rival has arrived.
What?
What?
''Well, that's fine. For now, just extract the items that can be smelted with a smelting A rank and send them to this email address.
'Yes!　Aside from the unique item, can we keep the existence of the divine weapon a secret?

　Unique items have existed since Alchemy B rank. There would be no point in hiding it.


'What?　Are you going to tell them?
Call it a showpiece.
Yes, well, if you get it right, we may be able to trade the artifacts for a unique set of people.

　Unique dispensation. It was a powerful sub-divider that would allow creation to be created once creation reached A rank.

''Do you know how many unique subordinates you can create with Creation A rank?
I understand.　Eight of them.
Do you know who they are?
'Let's see........two attack types, a defense type, a magic type, a balance type, a growth type, a weapon type and a......special ability type?'

　The canon answers based on his own knowledge, but he doesn't quite get the point.

'What's a growth type?'
There are many species that have evolved into this.
What type of weapon?
They're very good with weapons.
What about special abilities?
"We don't know what kind of race the devil race is, but with the fairy race, there seems to be a race that specializes in recovery and a race that specializes in searching for enemies.
I see.

　Unique subordinate.........

　I'd love to have it.

　I sent an email with a list of items I could provide. I waited for a reply from Demon King Kaoru.