“Well then, in light of what I just said, now comes the main topic. Sofie, in your capacity as the person with the highest authority in Elunheine Adventurer’s Guild, this is my proposition for you.”
(Why does he think that I have the most authority in Elunheine Adventurer’s Guild......) Oblivious to Sofie’s bewilderment, Jirahal continued on.
“Come under the umbrella of Goldas Adventurer’s Guild. Naturally, I have zero intention of listening to any words of protest. All you are to do is to stay quiet and just sign here on this document.” Jirahal proffered a piece of high quality paper.
A quick scan through revealed it to be a contract for handing over the guild’s administrative rights. The guild’s administrative rights lay with Elizabeth, as the guildmaster, and Adora, as the consultant, in a fifty-fifty split. Sofie herself was only the head of the sales department, so it would mean nothing even if she were to sign this.
However, what the man was claiming was that Sofie being the head of sales was a brilliant effort at subterfuge.
In order to break out of the status quo of the guild having fallen down to bottom feeder status, Sofie had supposedly cajoled Shouzou into joining. By skillfully utilizing him, who was as strong as an adventurer, she deployed numerous schemes that ultimately won over even Elizabeth. And ever since then, Sofie had been controlling the guild from the shadows, raising it to what it now was.
This was something made possible only by someone who inherited the blood of the founder, Jirahal insisted with full confidence.
It hardly needed to be said, but all of the above was entirely Jirahal’s delusion. It was Shouzou’s achievements that had helped the guild to grow so much.
Despite feeling the urge to correct his misunderstanding, she also understood that it would not be a good idea to provoke him unnecessarily by refuting his theory.
(This is the perfect time to use what Onigawara-san has taught me.) Although she was indeed being coerced this very moment, she wasn’t exactly left with no room whatsoever for negotiations.
In other words, the sales skills that she had learned from under Shouzou should be applicable.
But, even so.
This was a discussion about a large scale merger. Sofie tried suggesting that they gather the top brass of both guilds at a proper venue on a later date to discuss this proposal at length.
“This is just something for the heads of the organizations to decide, isn’t it? Everyone else can just be informed after the fact.”
Sofie tried explaining that doing so would only cause unnecessary confusion, which would negatively affect the business of their guilds.
“Organizations move based on orders from on top. If I give the order, then there’s no way that any problems will arise.”
Finally giving up, Sofie confessed to being merely the head of the sales department, and admitted to not having any administration rights in the guild.
“Ha ha ha, don’t think you can deceive me.”
(This person is beyond saving...... He must surely be one of those people who “cannot be reached with words” that Onigawara-san told me about......) This was among the many things that Shouzou had taught her.
When it comes to someone who can’t understand what you’re saying, change up the way you talk. When it comes to someone who cannot be reached with words, do not engage them in the first place.
If they don’t understand what you’re saying, that means there is a mismatch in the two parties’ perception or in their understanding of the circumstances of the situation in question. In other words, there is a gap that needs to be bridged.
On the other hand, someone who cannot be reached with words is, in other words, an incredibly egotistical person. Their unshakeable belief in their own correctness is what makes them “unreachable.”
And thus, it doesn’t matter what you say, it would be of no use.
Therefore, the best thing to do is to not engage such people in the first place. However, inside this carriage, where no venue of escape was available, choosing to not engage was impossible.
What to do in such a case? Among the many methods that she had learned from Shouzou, the one that Sofie chose was—
“Speaking of which, Jirahal-san, your previous job was related to international trade, wasn’t it? Does that mean you’ve been to other countries many times? Do you have any interesting stories from those trips?”
To change the topic.
Time was a limited resource. Waiting for the time to run out in this way was also a viable hand to play. Because her very top priority at the moment was to stall for time until help came for her.
Jirahal’s eyes sparkled.
“You want to hear? Then I shall tell you. Now, this was something that happened back on my very first voyage—” Leaning forward eagerly, Jirahal began to chatter on loquaciously.
Speaking honestly, she really did not want to, but Sofie resolved herself to bear with this torment. She told herself that she had only to endure it until Shouzou came to save her.
But unfortunately, Jirahal was not so easy a man.
“—And that was when I said it to him straight. ‘Come the day after!’ was exactly what I said.” Jirahal looked very smug.
“I... I see...... that... was very amazing......” Sofie was beginning to get very fed up with Jirahal. As someone in sales, Sofie was no stranger to having to listen to business partners brag about their past exploits. That was why she thought she would be able to handle this hands down. But the problem was, it turned out that his bragging was so absolutely boring that she felt her soul being worn away.
Unable to bear it any longer, Sofie hung her head. That became the signal.
“Well then, I still have so much more to tell, but we will have plenty of time for the rest starting tomorrow onward. Come, sign this contract.” Jirahal held out the contract.
As someone who had no administrative rights, her signature on the contract would not be worth anything at all. However, with respect to her identity as the daughter of the founder, doing so might give Jirahal a foot in the door for something else down the line. And at that time, even if she claimed that she signed under duress, there is no guarantee that that would be effective defense.
Shouzou’s face flashed through her mind.
She shook her head to chase away her wish for him to come soon.
(That’s no good. I can’t just be relying on him all the time.) Sofie pulled her wearied heart together, resolving to give him a resolute refusal.
But, the exact moment that she decided that......
The contract before her eyes was split cleanly in two.
Cold air caused her body to shiver. If she understood correctly what had just happened, a cold blade had just cleaved through not only the contract, but—
“Wh-Wh-Wh-What is happeni—?!”
The entire box carriage had been split in two along the coronal plane.
The front part continued being pulled by the horses, and thus was dragged off into the distance. Sofie, who was sitting in the back part, desperately tried to cling onto her seat, but her efforts were not enough to resist the power of momentum, and so she was thrown out forward.
The stone pavement rushing toward her face caused a spike of terror to course through her.
However, the next instant, her body came to a gentle stop in midair.
“Oh honey, I’m sorry for scaring you. Puru-chan’s ice blade turned out to be much stronger than we had expected.” When her feet finally touched ground, the floating feeling disappeared.