The largest building in the center of the city was the main office of Socom Co.
It was also known as “Baron’s Company.” Its president, the baron Otto Socom, also served as the lord of the city. Front-Edge City Central Station itself belonged to the kingdom, but its employees belonged to Socom Co. In other words, that made Socom Co. Watt’s employer.
Inside, there was a tidy reception desk with a handful of attractive women sitting behind it. As soon as one of the receptionists spotted Watt, she bolted to her feet.
“Why, if it isn’t Mr. Sears!” she exclaimed. “You don’t come around all that often! Did you come to see me?”
“Wish I could say ‘of course’ to that, Miss Turqis!” Watt said with a laugh. “But I’m afraid it’s nothing too pleasant today. One of the newcomers screwed up. I’m hoping to speak with the president—that okay?”
“Hrmm, what a shame! Well, let’s just take our time catching up next time! I’ll go ask the president.”
Watt chatted with the remaining receptionists and waited for Turqis to come back. Despite the fact that Otto was extremely busy working in two capacities as both president and lord, Watt found himself readily ushered into his office.
“Another accident, is it? The quality of our recruits has been dropping as of late,” Otto said.
“No, the fault’s all mine,” Watt answered.
Sitting at his office desk, Otto looked somehow nervous as he narrowed his gaze. Given that they’d known each other for a long while, and that Otto wasn’t that far apart from Watt in age, they could speak in friendly terms in private.
“But at the end of the day, that’s what they all really want,” Otto said. “I don’t like saying this, but it’s only the dropouts that come here to work.”
The two stared out the window, watching a Mechsteel walk past. It was a more premium model that couldn’t even be compared with a Mild Bull, boasting a sturdy frame and well-balanced proportions—a Brute-grade Mechsteel.
“Steelriders are the stars of the city, after all,” Otto said. “Without them, I wouldn’t be able to keep the company going.”
“Steelriders” referred to those who piloted Mechsteels to fight against monsters. Normally, the term referred to Mechsteel pilots in general, but the term had taken on a slightly different meaning that was likely exclusive to Front-Edge City.
“I know,” Watt replied. “But thanks to that, they all think handling freight for us is a good way to make money—they might even think of it as some sort of pilot training.”
“I’ve heard the rumors,” Otto said. “You’re too good at looking after them—that’s why they lean on you so much, no?”
Watt paused. “I don’t think that’s it.”
Watt looked away, but it was hard to hear nonetheless. At first, the typical pattern for recruits had been to save up money hauling freight before purchasing a Mechsteel on their own and making their debut as a Steelrider. However, thanks to Watt’s various displays of parental love and the visible strides the recruits had begun to make with their skills, Socom Co. was now completely overflowing with youths joining solely for training.
“It’s only natural for an old man my age to want to give promising kids a leg up, don’t you think?” Watt said.
“You do a good job training them, though,” Otto said. “Still, if you ask me, it’d be more reassuring having you as a Steelrider.”
“C’mon now, Mr. President! You know I’m too old to push my limits like that. And besides, I like my job now! It’s like I’m supporting everybody from the rear. Anyway, that’s all I have to report on, so I’ll be off!”
“Where do I even start with you, Watt?” Otto paused. “Put the recruit that messed up through the wringer.”
With a hasty bow, Watt made his exit, going back the way he’d come. Watt heard a heavy sigh from behind him but decided he hadn’t heard anything after all.
Running out of the main building, Watt found himself enveloped in a commotion.
“Check the day’s rates right here! Come on, grab these bounties before they’re gone! First to claim ’em gets ’em!” the girl yelled.
Standing on a balcony as she spoke, each of the girl’s shouts were met with angry-sounding war cries from the crowd.
“This monster’s all mine! Gonna earn me some coin!”
“This one’s a small fry, but it’s been going up in price. I’ll snag a few of ’em, then.”
“Ahh... If I can bag this monster, then all that debt’s as good as settled...but I don’t like my odds one bit...”
Beside the main building was an establishment for Steelriders and yet another of the city’s important facilities: the Hunters’ Guild Hall.
In front of the guild hall were several bulletin boards, with both the monsters’ likenesses—and the prices they fetched—posted together. Hanging beneath them were wooden tags known as bounty tags. There, fighting to claim the tags for themselves, were men and women dressed in pompous attire.
“Already posting time? I musta gotten carried away talking,” Watt said, skillfully slipping through the crowd. It was common to see Steelriders fight over bounty tags—it could even be considered one of the early morning attractions of Front-Edge City. You could hardly live in the city if something like that was enough to stop you in your tracks.
“Hey, we had our eyes on this bounty first!”
“The hell are you getting at? Not my fault you’re slow to the draw!”
In most cases, bounty tags went to whoever claimed them first. What’s more, given the hot-blooded nature of the Steelriders, it was hardly uncommon for them to clash over the tags. That was just another part of what made it an attraction...at least, that’s what Watt wanted to say. However, if a fight that would block his way were to break out, he couldn’t keep quiet. Silently drawing close to the arguing duo, Watt grabbed them by the scruffs of their necks and lifted them into the air.
“All righty, that’s enough. There’s a ban on Steelriders fightin’ in the city—you both know that.”
“Who the hell do you think you are, buttin’ in when...” the man froze. “M-Mister Watt?!”
Watt was every bit as strong as his large frame would suggest. No matter how much the men squirmed, he didn’t budge an inch.
“You there! You’ve got a lot of nerve, fighting right in front of me!”
Having noticed the commotion, the girl who’d been shouting in front of the guild hall had made her way onto the scene. The next moment, the men’s faces went from bright red to pale white.
Meddié Socom was the only daughter of Baron Socom, the president of Socom Co. who ruled Front-Edge City—and the poster girl for the Hunters’ Guild. Simply put, she was one of the most powerful figures in the city.
“N-No, no, miss!” one of the men stammered. “We were just encouraging each other a bit, that’s all! There’s not an ounce of trouble here, not one bit!”
“Yeah, that’s right! Just peppin’ each other up!”
Steelriders who belonged to the guild were permitted to wield tremendous power in the form of Mechsteels. In exchange, they were strictly prohibited from any form of violence in the city, and if they broke this rule, they would be deprived of both their Mechsteel and their Hunting License. If that happened, they’d have no way to put food on the table. It was quite understandable, then, that the men desperately rushed to string together excuses.
“Hmm? Is that so?” Meddié asked. “If you two can get along like that, I’ll write this one off as a misunderstanding on my part.”
“Of course, miss! We’ll go grab bounties like the good pals we are!”
The moment Watt let go of the napes of their necks, the two bolted off instantly, only for Meddié to walk over in their place. In contrast to the beaming face of the girl before him, Watt’s face stiffened a bit.
“I’d expect nothing less of my master! You put a stop to that fight just like that!”
“Ha ha ha...” Watt laughed. “I just happened to be passing by.”
Watt had given Meddié just a few pointers on piloting a Mechsteel when she’d been small, and ever since then, she’d taken to calling him her master. As a nearly forty-year-old man, his only option was to stifle the tinge of embarrassment he felt.
“Did you have something to do at the main building? Oh, don’t tell me! You came here to train me?” Meddié asked.
“No, it was for work,” Watt answered. “There was a problem down at the station, so I let the president know.”
“That’s what it was?” Meddié asked back. “Well in that case, you’ll watch me practice now, won’t you?”
“Hold your horses, there,” Watt said. “I’m heading straight back to work. I’m the chief, after all. I’ve gotta be around, see?”
Like father, like daughter. And just why did both Otto and his daughter alike have so much to ask of him? His job might’ve been hauling around freight, but their expectations were too heavy for him to shoulder. Having wiggled his way out of the situation somehow, Watt finally made his way back to his workplace.