120 面倒事
戻ってきたアキラ達から話を聞いて状況を把握したシカラベが、少し落胆気味な表情で軽く
エレナが答える。
「弾薬等の消耗も少ないし、このまま次の依頼場所に向かうつもりよ。私達がいない間にシカラベ達の方で予想外の消耗が有ったのなら戻る必要があるけど」
シカラベがトガミをちらっと見る。どうせすぐにごちゃごちゃ言い出すだろう。そう思っていたのだが、その予想に反してトガミは真面目に周囲の警戒を続けていた。
エレナ達が戻ってくるまでトガミの随分な変わり様をずっと
「問題ない。こっちは突っ立っているだけで終わった」
エレナはシカラベの表情を見て、何もなかった、とは思えなかったが、依頼の続行に支障はないと判断する。
「そう。それならすぐに次の目的地に向かいましょう」
「......ん? ちょっと待ってくれ。ハンターオフィスから通知が来た。確認する」
シカラベの情報端末宛てにハンターオフィスから通知が届いていた。それに気付いたシカラベが情報端末を取り出して通知内容を確認しようとする。
通知を受けた者達が各自の情報端末で内容を確認している。その表情が少しずつ変化していく。
エレナとサラは面倒事に巻き込まれたという表情を浮かべている。トガミはどことなく降って湧いた好機に意気揚々と臨むような覚悟と決意の表情を浮かべている。そしてシカラベは、焦りを含む非常に不機嫌な表情を浮かべていた。
エレナとサラが何やら相談を始める。シカラベは情報端末で誰かに通話を
エレナ宛てに通話要求が届く。エレナはサラと相談するのを止めて険しい表情で通話要求を受けると、その誰かと不機嫌な様子で話し始めた。
アキラが僅かに表情を険しくさせながらアルファに尋ねる。
『アルファ。何が起こっているか分かるか?』
『分からないわ。取りあえず、好ましい事態ではないように見えるけれどね』
『だよなぁ......』
「......詳しい話は後で。......そうよ。......私達が今どこにいるかぐらいそっちも把握しているんでしょ!? いつ状況が変わってモンスターの群れに襲われてもおかしくないのよ!? 移動時間ぐらい待ちなさい! 私達を殺す気!?」
エレナが通話を切ってシカラベに指示を出す。
「シカラベ。一度戻るわ」
いて了解の意思を伝える。そして情報端末越しに誰かと話しながら、手でトガミに車に乗り込むように指示を出して、話を続けながら車に戻っていった。
不機嫌を隠していない表情のエレナが、少し驚いた表情を浮かべて自分を見ているアキラに気付いた。エレナは気を落ち着かせるように軽く呼吸した後で、アキラに少し申し訳なさそうに話す。
「アキラ。御免なさい。説明は後で良いかしら。今からハンターオフィスの出張所まで戻るわ。その後で」
「構いません。急いで戻った方が良いですか?」
「大丈夫よ。焦らず普通に戻りましょう。......そこまでする義理もないわ」
くような小声でそう付け加えて自分の車に戻っていく。サラが苦笑しながらエレナの後に続いた。
アキラは何となくキャロルを見る。キャロルの表情は余裕と落ち着きを保っている。状況に追いついていないアキラと異なり、何となく事態を把握しているのかもしれない。
アキラがキャロルに尋ねる。
「知らないわ。でも全く見当が付かないってわけでもないけどね。一応昨日もミハゾノ街遺跡関連の情報収集をして、私もある程度の情報は
「どんな内容なんだ?」
「下手に推測するより後で当事者に聞いた方が早いわ。そんなことより、ほら、そろそろ急がないと置いていかれるわよ?」
かされてアキラは急いで車に戻った。キャロルもすぐに後に続いた。
キャロルがアキラの様子を見て思案する。
(普通なら、ハンターがアキラぐらいの実力を身に着ければ、その過程である程度のハンター稼業の情報収集能力が身につくものなのよね。でもアキラは、そっちの方面の実力は
キャロルは昨日と今日のアキラの様子から、アキラがエレナとサラを魅力的な異性としてしっかり認識していることに気付いていた。
色気より食い気。アキラはキャロルにそう言っていたが、アキラも色気にまるで興味がないわけではない。それを確認できただけでもキャロルにとっては十分な収穫だ。
キャロルはそれを踏まえて、アキラがしっかり異性として認識している女性であるエレナとサラを自身と比較していた。2人とも十分魅力的に見えるが、自分に負けている箇所があるとは思わない。
アキラが女性を異性として強く認識するには恐らく何らかの条件がある。キャロルはそう判断していた。そのような何かがなければ、アキラがあそこまで自分に対して無反応なのは不自然だ。キャロルにそう判断させたのは、キャロルの自らの美貌と身体に対する自信の表れでもある。
(ま、焦る必要なんかないわ。ゆっくりやりましょう)
車の運転をしているアキラの隣で、キャロルは今後の展望を思案しながらニヤッと笑った。
アキラ達はミハゾノ街遺跡のハンターオフィスの出張所の近くまで何事もなく帰還した。モンスターとの交戦も一度もなかった。機械系モンスター達の反応はあったが、全てアキラ達を素通りさせた。増援を呼び寄せて帰り道に襲ってくるかもしれない。そう考えて警戒していたアキラは少々拍子抜けだった。
アキラ達が車から降りると、到着を待っていたらしいハンターオフィスの職員やドランカムの人員がすぐにアキラ達に気が付いた。それに気付いたエレナが少し不機嫌気味な
エレナがこれからすることは彼らとの交渉だ。しかも彼らがここで待っていたことを考えると、エレナがアキラ達に状況を説明する時間も無いようだ。
エレナがキャロルを見て彼女の交渉能力を思い出す。少し考えてアキラに尋ねる。
「俺は構いませんが......」
しかしキャロルがあっさり答える。
アキラがかなり意外そうに尋ねる。
「良いのか?」
「ええ。アキラに雇われているわけだしね。その程度なら気軽に言ってちょうだい」
「そうか。......ありがとう」
「良いのよ。気にしないで」
キャロルは何でもないような素振りで
エレナがアキラとサラに指示を出す。
「それじゃあ、私達はちょっと別行動を取るわね。サラ。アキラに状況の説明をしておいて」
エレナとキャロルとシカラベがハンターオフィスの出張所の中に向かう。シカラベが去り際にトガミに指示を出す。
「トガミ! お前は俺の車をドランカムの簡易拠点まで運んでおけ! その後は向こうで指示を受けろ!」
トガミが慌てて答える。
「知るか!」
シカラベは不機嫌に声を荒らげて話を打ち切った。トガミは不服そうに表情を
「ちょっといろいろあってね。と言っても、シカラベの方の事情は私にも分からないけど。ただ、その原因の元となった内容は、私達と同じでしょうけどね」
「ハンターオフィスからの通知ですよね?」
に来るちょっとした厄介ごと、その程度の話なんだけど、まあ、いろいろあるのよ。あ、その通知の内容なんだけど......」
「ああ、大丈夫。通知の内容自体は大したことじゃないの。エレナにも説明しておくように頼まれたし、
「それで、その内容なんだけれど、要は今回のミハゾノ街遺跡の異変に関する調査の協力要請なのよ」
サラがアキラにハンターオフィスからの通知の内容の説明を始めた。話を聞いているアキラの表情が険しくなっていく。
「......セランタルビルへの部隊派遣、ですか」
「そう。名目はいろいろよ。詳しい内容までは分からないけどね。今回のミハゾノ街遺跡の異変の原因を調査するためとか、ビルに取り残されている人員の救出だとか、今回の件を契機にビル全体を制圧するとか、確定情報なのか誰かの推察なのか情報が
アキラがセランタルビル内での戦闘を思い出して険しい表情を浮かべる。
「その、えっと、断るのは難しいんですか?」
「まあ、強制って訳じゃないんだけど、難しいわ」
クガマヤマ都市は派遣部隊の質を高めるために、そして顧客である防壁内の住人を納得させるために、賞金首討伐を成功させたハンター達に依頼を出していた。
少し前のクズスハラ街遺跡からのモンスター襲撃。そして今回のミハゾノ街遺跡の異変。不安を覚えた住人は多いようだ。しかし事態の解決のために都市の防衛隊を派遣するわけにはいかない。万一の事態に備えた都市の防衛力を維持する
賞金首討伐は防壁の内側の人間にも多少話題になっていた。賞金が懸かるほど強力なモンスターを撃破した優秀なハンターを派遣するという話は、顧客の不安を和らげるのに役立つのだろう。更に部隊の質の向上も見込める。都市側としては一石二鳥だ。
そのため、部隊への参加依頼は強制ではないものの、半強制、下手に断ると面倒事に発展する性質を持っていたのだ。都市側も顧客に賞金首を討伐したハンターでさえ断るほど事態が悪化しているとは言いにくいのだろう。依頼を出したハンター達にかなり強い文言で参加を促していた。
都市に目を付けられているなどという評判が広まれば、その都市で経済活動をしている様々な企業もその評判を基に対処せざるを得ない。最悪の場合、遺物の売却や弾薬の補充すらままならなくなり、別の都市への移住を検討しなければならなくなる。
だ。大抵は相応の報酬を提示されて依頼を引き受ける。都市側も断られる可能性がそれほど高いのならそもそも依頼を出さない。有能なハンターが都市から出て行くのは都市側にも痛手だからだ。
サラはそれらの事情を、アキラが知らなそうな背景等も含めていろいろ説明した。
「まあ、そういう訳で、エレナは結構面倒な依頼の交渉をしているのよ」
アキラはサラの説明を聞いてある程度納得したが、一部疑問に思ったことをサラに尋ねる。
「そうだったんですか。......でも、エレナさんがあそこまで機嫌を悪くするなんて、提示された報酬がそんなに
サラが少し口籠もりながら答える。
「......それは、あれよ。いや、報酬は相応の額だったわ。エレナもいろいろ交渉してもっと好条件にするでしょうから、その点の不満は私にはないし、エレナにもないと思うわ。......ただ、その、あれよ。ほら、私達が受けていた依頼に横から割り込まれる形になったわけだし、しかもそれは非常に断りにくい性質の依頼で、更にいつモンスターに襲われるか分からない危険な遺跡の中でその交渉が始まったわけでしょう? そういうのが積もって、エレナもちょっと平静を欠いたのだと思うわ」
「そういわれれば、確かにそうですね」
エレナも人間だ。機嫌を悪くすることもあるだろう。他の依頼を受けている最中に別の依頼に横から割り込まれると、その後の予定も狂うし準備もままならないかもしれない。少し驚くほどにエレナが声を荒らげさせたのも、部隊のリーダーとしての責任感からかもしれない。アキラはそう思ってそれで納得した。
サラはアキラが納得した様子を見せたことで、安心しつつも蒸し返される前に話題を別のものに変える。
「そういえば、アキラには通知が届いていなかったわね。シカラベと一緒に賞金首討伐に参加したんじゃなかったの?」
今度はアキラが少し口籠もりながら答える。
「それなら無理には聞かないわ。少し気になっただけだしね。アキラが活躍したのならどんな内容だったのか、ちょっと聞きたかっただけよ」
その程度なら問題ないだろう。アキラはそう考えてそれだけ答えた。
サラは黙って少しだけ何かを考えているような表情を浮かべていたが、何かに気付いたような表情を浮かべた後、軽く笑いながらアキラに話す。
「ああ、シカラベからハンターオフィスを介さない依頼を受けて、火力の底上げのために賞金首討伐の補助要員として雇われたのね。それでシカラベに同行して賞金首の討伐に成功したのね」
アキラが吹き出した。サラにそのものずばりを言い当てられたからだ。驚きの表情でサラを見ると、サラが楽しげに笑っていた。驚きながらサラに尋ねる。
「......あれだけで、分かるものなんですか?」
「報酬が微妙だってことは、最低でも報酬は支払われたってこと。つまりアキラは依頼を受けたってこと。シカラベがあの時にアキラに頼む依頼は、賞金首討伐に関連する依頼だけ。ハンターオフィスからアキラに今回の依頼が届いていないってことは、その時の依頼はハンター間のものでハンターオフィスを介していない。シカラベがわざわざアキラを雇ったのなら、最低限の戦力になることは期待していたはず。だから単純な輸送要員等としてアキラを雇ったわけではない。大したことはしていないってことは、賞金首討伐の主力はシカラベ達。アキラはシカラベ達の補助として、
「いえ、サラさん達さえよければこの後も同行させてもらおうと思っています」
確かにサラとエレナが考える当初の予定とは大分状況が変わってきている。しかしアキラが考える当初の予定からは全く変わっていない。アキラは初めからエレナ達を助ける
「私としては大歓迎だけど、本当に良いの?」
サラは少しだけ表情を真剣なものに変えてアキラに尋ねる。
かりそうだから? 確かに危険だけど、それだけ稼げそうだから?」
「えっ? ああ、はい。そんな感じです。もっと良い装備も欲しいし、まだまだ金に困っているので」
アキラは一瞬不意を突かれたような表情をしたものの、すぐにサラに合わせてそう答えた。
サラはアキラの返事を聞きながら思う。
やはりアキラは金のために自分達の誘いに乗ったわけではない。サラはそう確信した。
そして恐らくアキラは自分達を助けるためにここにいる。それはサラの予想、願望に近いものにすぎないが、それを否定する材料も今のところはない。
アキラは自分達を助けるために、自身が死にかけた場所に平然と同行しようとしている。サラはそれを
「交渉の難航具合にもよるから、私にもちょっと分からないわ。でも交渉に時間を割きすぎて部隊の派遣が遅れるのは都市側も嫌がるでしょうから、最悪でも午前中には終わると思うわ。その結果、交渉が決裂したとしてもね」
「基本的にはね。言い換えれば、例外も限度も存在するの。提示された条件にどうしても妥協できない点があるのなら、私達の活動拠点を別の都市に移してでも断るわ。極端な例を挙げれば、
「......大変なんですね」
「だからこそ、そういう面倒な交渉とかを本人に代わって行う代理人を雇うハンターも多いのよ。私達の場合はエレナが引き受けてくれているから大丈夫だけど。アキラは......、そういう交渉とか苦手そうだし、代理人を雇ってみるのも良いかもしれないわね」
「うーん。まあ、考えてみます」
今のところ、自分は代理人を必要とするほどの面倒な交渉ごとが発生するようなハンターではない。しかしいずれは必要になるかもしれない。アキラはそう考えて取りあえず代理人を雇うという手段があることを覚えておくことにした。
実際は、既にアキラはその手の面倒事を引き起こす人物になっている。本人がそう認識していないのは、殺し合いを含める不利益を無意識に許容しているからだ。最悪、殺し合ってもかまわない。その見切りを付ける地点がスラム街の路地裏並みに低いだけだ。
普通は事を穏便に済ませるために妥協点を探り合うのだ。アキラはその手間を放棄しているだけだ。相手は常に自分を命も含めて軽んじる。相手が自分のために譲歩し、妥協することはない。その認識が頭にこびり付いている。アキラが一部の例外に対して過度に甘いのは、その辺の認識も関わっているのだろう。
アキラはスラム街の路地裏から脱出したが、アキラの認識だけは今もまだスラム街の路地裏を
その認識のずれがアキラに更なる厄介ごとを運んでいるのだが、アキラはそれを不運で片付けてしまっている。ある意味で自業自得だ。
サラがハンターオフィスの出張所の方向を見る。エレナ達はそこで交渉を続けている。エレナからの連絡はまだない。交渉が難航している証拠だ。
Ch 120
After Elena, Sara, Carol, and Akira returned to Shikarabe, Shikarabe listened to their explanation and understood the current situation. He then sighed and looked disappointed. Although the SOS request that they took was considered to be completed after searching the target area, the reward was far less compared to if they returned back with the rescue targets.
Elena answered his question.
"We didn't use much ammo, so I'm thinking of heading to the next request-target right from here. Although, I don't mind heading back too in case you guys used most of your ammo when we were not around."
Shikarabe glanced at Togami, he thought that Togami would make a complaint. But unlike what Shikarabe was expecting, Togami was still standing there with a serious face while properly keeping his eyes peeled.
Shikarabe was wondering the entire time while waiting for Elena to return, he was waiting for Togami to act out. In the end, nothing happened at all, which indicated Togami had changed. This questionable fact made Shikarabe feel a little bit disturbed as he continued.
"We're okay with that, after all, nothing happened at all when you were gone."
Elena watched Shikarabe's face closely. Although it did not say that nothing had happened, it did not seem that it would affect his performance during the rescue request either.
"I see, in that case, let's hurry up and head to the next location."
"...Hmm? Wait for a sec, I just got a notification from the Hunter Office, give me a few seconds to check it."
Shikarabe noticed that a notification from the Hunter Office had reached his information terminal. As he pulled out his information terminal and was about to check it, almost at the same time the same notification reached Togami, Elena, and Sara too albeit a little later. Sara also pulled out her information terminal to check the details of that notification as she turned to Akira and said.
The people who received those notifications started checking their own information terminals and they reacted differently when they read the details of that notification.
Elena and Sara looked obviously annoyed as if they just got roped into something troublesome. Togami on the other hand, seemed rather excited as if he just got something that he had been waiting for. While for Shikarabe, he seemed a bit panicked and extremely irritated.
Elena and Sara then started talking to each other. Shikarabe immediately used his information terminal to call for someone and he seemed to be negotiating with the person he was calling, he also sounded really displeased. While Togami just stood there waiting for Shikarabe to finish his negotiation.
Suddenly, a call reached Elena's information terminal. Elena stopped discussing with Sara and picked that call with a stern face, she then started talking with whoever on the other side of that call in a bad mood.
Akira frowned and asked Alpha.
"Alpha, do you have any idea what's going on?"
"Nope. But looking at this, one thing for sure, it doesn't seem to be anything good."
"Thought so..."
"...Leave that aside for now... Yeah, that's right. You should at least know where we are right now, right?! We're in the middle of the ruin, we're in a situation where we might get attacked by a swarm of monsters any second, you know?! At least give us some time to relocate!! Or are you actually trying to kill us or something?!!"
Elena then cut the call and immediately gave Shikarabe an order.
"Shikarabe, we'll head back now."
Shikarabe was still talking in his information terminal as he glanced at Elena and nodded to convey his affirmation. He then signalled Togami to get into the APC with his hand and went to the APC himself while still on the call.
Elena, who was not even trying to hide her displeasure, was taken aback when she noticed that Akira was looking at her. She then lightly sighed to calm herself down before she apologetically said to Akira.
"Akira, I'm sorry, but is it okay if I tell you the details later? We need to return back to the Hunter Office for now. I'll tell you the details after that."
"Sure, I don't mind, is it better if we hurry up then?"
"No, it's fine. There's no need to hurry up... After all, we have no obligation to go that far."
Elena was only mumbling in a small voice in the last half of her sentence before she returned back to her vehicle. Sara smiled bitterly and followed behind Elena.
Akira turned to Carol. Carol seemed so relaxed and calm there. Unlike Akira who did not understand what was going on at all, it seemed that Carol had some inkling about the current situation.
Akira then threw a question to Carol.
"Nope. But it's not like I have no idea at all though. I gathered some information regarding the Mihazono ruin yesterday, so I at least have some guesses."
"So, what is it?"
"Rather than making poor guesses, it's faster if you hear it from someone who is directly connected to it. That aside, we need to hurry it up if you don't want to get left behind."
When Carol pointed that out, Akira immediately hurried up back to his vehicle, Carol followed suit behind him.
Carol looked at Akira and thought.
[Normally speaking, for a Hunter as strong as him, he should have the ability to gather that level of information. But it seems that Akira is basically an amateur in gathering information, huh... I wonder if I can make my move from that side?]
Seeing from how Akira was behaving yesterday and today, Carol was sure that Akira properly recognized Elena and Sara as beautiful girls.
Akira did say in the past that he had more interest in food than girls. But it was not like he had no interest in girls at all either, being able to confirm that was already a huge success for Carol.
So with that in mind, Carol compared herself to Sara and Elena, the 2 girls that Akira properly recognized as the member of the opposite sex. Although both of them were indeed beautiful, she did not think that her beauty would lose to any of them. As in matter of fact, Carol had gathered and spent a lot of money to polish her body, as such, she actually thought that she had a better figure than Sara and Elena.
Carol thought that there might be some kind of particular requirement for Akira to properly recognize someone as a member of the opposite sex. After all, unless that was indeed the case, it was unnatural for him to be so disinterested in her at all. But the reason why she thought so might simply be because she had absolute confidence in her own body.
"Well, I guess there's no need to be in a rush here. Let's be patient about this."
Carol was sitting next to Akira, who was driving his vehicle, while smiling and thinking about her next plan.
Elena and her team were able to return back to the Hunter Office without any incident at all. They did not even encounter a single monster on their way back. Although they detected some monsters, those monsters let them pass through without trying to attack them. Akira who thought that those monsters called for reinforcements and were waiting to ambush them on their way back. So, that ending felt rather anti-climatic.
When they stepped off from their vehicles, some Drankam Hunters and Hunter Office staff were already standing by near the Hunter Office as if they were waiting for Elena's team. Elena was obviously annoyed and sighed when she saw them.
Elena was going to negotiate with them from here. And judging by the fact that those people were already waiting for them there, it seemed that she would not have the chance to explain the current situation to Akira and Carol.
Elena then glanced at Carol and remembered that she was rather skilled in negotiation too. She then suddenly asked Akira a question.
"I don't mind though, but..."
But Carol just casually said.
Akira was a bit surprised by that.
"Are you sure?"
"Yep, I'm here because you hired me. So I don't mind doing that much."
"I see... Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
Carol smiled at Akira as if it did not bother her at all while taking a note of that strange and sudden change of attitude from Akira.
Elena then said to Sara and Akira.
"Well then. We'll be temporarily parting ways here. Sara, can you explain to Akira what's going on for the time being?"
Elena, Carol, and Shikarabe headed to the Hunter Office's branch. But before Shikarabe left, he gave Togami an order.
"Togami! Take my APC back to Drankam temporary base!! After that, just wait for the next order from Drankam there!!"
Togami flusteredly replied.
"Like hell if I know?!"
Shikarabe sounded annoyed when he shouted back and just left it at that. Togami seemed like he could not completely accept it, but he then dragged himself back to the APC and did what Shikarabe told him to do.
"Well, there's just this troublesome thing. Although I said that, I'm not really sure what's going on in Shikarabe's side, but I think it's the same reason why we're also roped into this troublesome thing."
"It's that notification from the Hunter Office, right?"
"Yes, the content of that notification is a rather troublesome thing from the Hunter Office that we usually receive from time to time. So about that though... Well, it's not that simple, but to explain it properly..."
"Ahh, no, it's fine. The message itself doesn't contain secret information or anything like that, not to mention that Elena also told me to explain it to you. So I actually hope that you would listen to it."
"So, about that, it's basically a request to join the efforts to investigate this strange change in Mihazono ruin."
Sara then started to explain the content of that massage from the Hunter Office to Akira. After listening to that explanation, Akira made a stern face.
"...So they're sending a squad to Seranthal building, huh?"
"Yep. They put up all kinds of excuses for sending that squad and I don't really know all the details. Some people said that it's for investigating the source of this recent change in Mihazono ruin, others said that it's for rescuing the people who are stranded inside that building, or it's for taking control of that whole building. It is not even clear whether that information is true or it's just someone's guess. But one thing for sure, it seems it has been decided that a squad will be dispatched to that building, and it seems that it's going to be a pretty big squad."
Akira made a grim face as he remembered what he had gone through inside that Seranthal building.
"Uhh, is it possible to refuse it?"
"Well, although it's not a compulsory request, I think it's pretty unlikely."
In order to give a boost to the defense squad from Kugamayama city that the City Management had dispatched, and to convince the people of the inner wall who paid them, the City Management decided to issue that request to the Hunters who had successfully hunted a bounty monster in the past.
With that monster swarm incident the other day and the appearance of the bounty monsters not too long ago, it seemed that the people in the inner wall were starting to feel insecure. But it was not like they could just demand the city defense squad to dispatch soldiers to solve it. It was difficult to readjust the strength of the city defense squad in case anything bad happened while making sure that the people in the inner wall felt safe at the same time.
Moreover, the hunt for bounty monsters also got pretty famous within the inner wall. And the story about the skilled Hunters dispatched to take down those powerful monsters that even warrant a bounty must have calmed down the people inside the inner wall. Not to mention, it would also increase the available budget for the defense squad, it was like killing two birds with one stone.
Because of that, although the request to join that squad was not a compulsory one, it was like half-compulsory. If the Hunters refused that request without a good excuse, it might cause them trouble later. After all, it might cause more unrest in the inner wall since they might think that even the Hunters who defeated the bounty monsters refused to take that request. Thus those Hunters were pretty much forced to take that request.
If the City Management had its eyes on a certain Hunter, there was a good chance that Hunter would have a hard time staying in that city. In the worst-scenario, they would not be able to sell relics and buy ammo. Thus eventually forcing them to go to another city.
There were not that many Hunters who were ready to face that consequence just to refuse such a request, at least, they would try to negotiate a suitable amount of reward for doing that request. In the first place, the City Management would not have issued that request if they knew that the Hunters would not take it. Moreover, losing skilled Hunters was also not something that the City Management wanted.
Sara explained everything regarding that subject plus some other related information that Akira might not know yet.
"Well, so basically, that's it. That's why Elena is trying to negotiate with the City Management about that troublesome request."
Akira listened closely and understood Sara's explanation, but a question suddenly popped out in his mind.
"I see... But, I never thought that Elena-san would be that angry, is it that the reward offered was really that bad?"
Sara hesitated for a bit before answering.
"...Well, that is... Uhh, you know. The reward is not that bad and I'm sure Elena is trying to pull it up higher too. I have no problem with the reward and I don't think Elena has any problem with it either... It's just that, well, they basically just cut in while we were doing another request and they're bringing a request that is hard for us to refuse. Moreover, they even started trying to negotiate in the middle of the ruin where we might get attacked by monsters any second. So it's no surprise that it causes Elena to get mad."
"Now that you mention it, well, that's true."
Elena was also a human. It was only to be expected that she might get angry from time to time. And in this case, a request was pushed to her while she was in the middle of doing another request, it might completely throw her schedule and preparation into disarray. Elena might have also gotten angry because of her sense of responsibility as the leader of the team. Things did make sense if Akira saw it from that point of view.
Sara was relieved when she saw that it seemed Akira accepted her explanation, she then immediately tried to change the subject before Akira brought it up again.
"By the way, Akira, you didn't get that notification? Didn't you also hunt the bounty monster in Shikarabe's team?"
This time, it was Akira's turn to hesitate before answering.
"I see, if that's the case, I won't pressure you. It just got me curious for a bit. I'm just wondering how did you perform during the bounty hunt."
Akira thought that it should be fine to tell Sara that much when he said that.
Sara did not say anything for a while, it seemed that she was thinking about something. Her expression suddenly changed as if she just realized something, she then smiled and said to Akira.
"Ahhh, so basically you accepted a request from Shikarabe without going through the Hunter Office to help him as an extra personnel in order to hunt the bounty monster, and then you guys were able to successfully kill the bounty monster, huh."
Akira gasped, Sara was able to accurately guess what happened just like that. As he looked at Sara with a surprised face, she looked back at him with a smile. He then asked Sara a question.
"...That was enough for Sara-san to make that guess?"
"Since you said that you're not even sure the reward that you got matched your contribution, it meant that you properly received the reward, which meant that you took that request. At that time, the only request that Shikarabe offered you was only to help him hunt the bounty monster. Then, judging from the fact that you didn't get that notification from the Hunter Office, that means that request is only a request among Hunters and the Hunter Office has nothing to do with it. Since Shikarabe hired you, it means that he knew you would at least pull your own weight. That's why he didn't hire you only to be a driver. When you said that you didn't do anything big, basically it's because the main firepower during that fight against the bounty monster was Shikarabe and his friends. Then as for you, in order to give support to Shikarabe and his friends, I bet you used expendable equipment that Shikarabe gave you to attack the bounty monster as well as trying to keep its attention off from Shikarabe. When you said that you're not sure you deserve the reward that you received, I can make a guess that it's at least not a small amount of money. Shikarabe himself would not pay that much money unless the bounty hunt was a success. That's why I can say for sure that you were able to successfully kill the bounty monster... You can't confirm whether I got it right or not, okay? It'll violate your duty of confidentiality, after all."
"No, I'll come along too if it's okay with Sara-san and Elena-san."
Although it was true that the situation had changed greatly from their initial plan. But for Akira, that was not the case at all. After all, he originally came to Mihazono ruin to help Elena and Sara.
"We're more than happy to have you, but are you really sure it's okay?"
Sara's expression turned serious as she said to Akira.
"...Is it because you know you might be able to get some profit from it? Despite the danger, you are moving for profit?"
"Eh? Ah, yes. Yes, something like that. I want to get better equipment after all, so I'm in need of money right now."
Akira sounded a little surprised, but he immediately tried to match his excuse with what Sara said.
As she listened to Akira's reply, Sara then thought.
Sara confirmed that Akira did not decide to come with her for money.
Moreover, she guessed that he decided to come along in order to help her. Although it might be nothing but her wishful thinking, she had no proof that refuted it.
As Sara thought that Akira decided to set his foot again in a place where he almost got killed in order to help her and Elena, she felt both happy and pathetic at the same time. But even so, since she felt more happy than pathetic, she did not make a saddened face.
"It depends on how hard the negotiation is, so, I don't really know myself. But I'm sure the City Management doesn't want to spend too much time on negotiating just to get late in dispatching the squad either. So I think it would end before afternoon even if it means that the negotiation fails."
"Basically, yes. Which also means that there are exceptions. If they can't agree on the conditions that we put on no matter what, then, we'll refuse to take the request even if it means that we need to change our base of operation to another city. If I'm to make an extreme example, they might only pay us a small amount of money just to be expendable pawns. Well, I'm sure Elena will properly do her job so that something like that would not happen unless something unexpected happens."
"...That sounds rough."
"That's why most of the Hunters hire other people to handle the negotiation for them. In my case, Elena would do that for me, that's why I don't have to do that. Akira... You're bad with negotiation, right? In that case, it might be a good idea to hire someone to do that for you."
"Hmmm, I see, I'll think about it."
Akira thought that he was not that great of a Hunter yet, so he would not get roped into such a troublesome negotiation, and he did not need people to negotiate in his place yet. But one day, he might need one, so he just kept that in mind for now.
In reality, Akira was already someone who could easily get roped into troublesome stuff. The reason why he did not realize it himself was simply because he had no misgivings in killing other people and he did not care about the trouble that killing other people might cause. In the worst-case scenario, it was okay to kill, that kind of thinking was a normal thing in the slum city.
Normally, people would try to find a way to solve their problems peacefully, but Akira simply ignored that way of thinking. It had been etched into Akira's mind that the other person always guaranteed to look down on him and his life, there would not be any chance to negotiate, nor compromise. It might be also because of this that Akira was overly lax to certain people.
Although Akira had escaped the slum city, his mind was still somewhere inside the slum city where he knew no other way to protect himself except to kill.
That indeed had caused troubles for him in the past, but Akira always credited that to his bad luck, or at least, he understood that he reaped what he sowed when that happened.
Sara then turned her gaze to the Hunter Office. Elena was still negotiating there. Since there was still no call from Elena, it showed just how hard the negotiation that she was having over there.
Rebuild World (WN)
リビルドワールド
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/rebuild-world/
Action Adventure Drama Harem Mecha Mystery Sci-fi Seinen
Abandoned Children Adapted to Manga Adventurers Alternate World Anti-social Protagonist Apocalypse Artificial Intelligence Beautiful Female Lead Cautious Protagonist Child Protagonist Dense Protagonist Determined Protagonist Distrustful Protagonist Futuristic Setting Gangs Gunfighters Harsh Training Lack of Common Sense Male Protagonist Manipulative Characters Monsters Near-Death Experience Older Love Interests Poor Protagonist Poor to Rich Ruthless Protagonist Shota Sudden Strength Gain Survival Twisted Personality Unlucky Protagonist Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n9736dt/
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