The City Government.

They are the highest ruling class that governs each city.

With a little exaggeration, the fate of the city was decided by their single gesture, their single word.

There was even a joke among players that the easiest way to destroy a city was to become a city councilor.

That is how much weight their every action carried.

'A request from the City Government.'

Therefore, a request to a contractor, the lowest class, was very unusual.

It was not unprecedented.

In fact, it was an open secret that the main clients of the top contractors, who were called one-man corporations, were the City Government.

However, they were veterans of the industry, recognized for both their track record and their skills.

There was only one time when the City Government did not consider them.

'Recruitment of a scapegoat.'

I could feel the muscles in my face stiffening.

"There must be many people aiming for it, so how did the turn come to me? The guys sitting around outside are also waiting for their turn."

Although I had handled a few big cases, it was a drop in the bucket compared to the veterans.

A broker of Cromwell's level would not be without other options besides me.

It was a pure curiosity.

"They are just a bunch of nobodies. If I chose from among them, my judgment would be questioned."

"What about the others, besides the nobodies?"

"Unfortunately, the news reached me late. Other offices had already snatched them up."

"Come to think of it, you said it was an official document assigned to each brokerage?"

"Not all offices received it. Only a select few."

It was a subtle boast.

If he was chosen by the City Government, it was something to be proud of.

"Anyway, you're the only one who's free and has guaranteed skills right now. It's a stroke of luck for you."

Cromwell glanced at my expression.

He was watching my reaction, but his eyes showed that he didn't care about my refusal.

And it was true.

"...What are the contents?"

It was a given that it was dangerous.

But to refuse it, the name of the City Government was too attractive.

Opportunities to make an impression on the City Government were extremely rare.

Cromwell smiled faintly, as if he had known it all along.

"It's the last negotiation before the war with Persear that I mentioned before. It's a given that there will be trouble, so it's an escort mission to prevent it."

I took out the documents from the envelope.

From the first page, a red 'Top Secret' stamp was stamped as big as a gate.

"The negotiation will take place in a week, a top-secret negotiation that even excludes the media."

"The City Government will probably try to please Persear as much as possible. If it's revealed to the media, public opinion will boil over, so it's an unavoidable choice."

"...I wonder."

That's what most people would think.

But not me.

'If it's a secret negotiation between Gellerg City and Persear... isn't it a failure?'

And not just a failure.

It was a catastrophe.

'The death of all the negotiation team members and the resulting outbreak of war. It's a fixed scenario.'

Other cities had both scenarios of war breaking out and being avoided.

But not Gellerg City.

It was a type of fixed scenario that was rare in the high-freedom game FP.

The process of its progress, which had been a series of unconventional events, was preserved in my mind.

'The City Government is seriously planning to make a big concession.'

Although Persear was called a city of barbarians, they were not so uncivilized as to not be able to negotiate.

No matter how much of a warmonger they were, if the gains were great, they wouldn't go out of their way to start a war.

The City Government would take this into account and engage in negotiations sincerely.

'The first stumbling block to the breakdown of negotiations is the elf, the head of the negotiation team.'

Elves, that proud and noble race, could not abandon their pride.

At the end of the negotiations, unable to contain his anger, he would overturn the council's decision to bow down as much as possible.

'The biggest problem is the second one.'

Compared to this, the elf's tantrum was just a seasoning.

'The interests of the corporations.'

For corporations, war is an opportunity.

There is no business where as much money is exchanged as the arms industry.

As an extreme example, the power map between corporations changed greatly after the outbreak of war.

'After the war, Centrim soars and Sylvester declines.'

That was the point at which the exclusive scenario for Sylvester's named characters was triggered.

The fall of Claire Sylvester, the only blood relative of the current chairman of Sylvester.

'The exclusion of the media is the result of lobbying.'

Behind it was Centrim.

The intention was clear.

To break up the negotiations.

In the game's scenario, that trick worked effectively.

And it ended with the death of all the negotiation team members, leaving no room for reversal.

'It's a dangerous request.'

It wasn't just a scapegoat.

It was a dog's death.

Nevertheless.

"I'll take the request."

I chose.

"Prepare well so there are no failures. I want to see you for a long time."

"Same here."

Whether the war broke out or not was not my concern.

On the other hand, I was very interested in the process.

'Checking Centrim, indirect support from Sylvester, contact with the elves.'

I also had a lot at stake.

It was a sufficient reason to take the gamble of changing the scenario.

***

"Again."

It was a numb voice.

The intonation was flat without any highs or lows, and the tone was so stiff that it sounded like a machine's voice.

But the owner of the voice was a proper person.

A noble with pointed ears, so to speak.

An elf, Giselle Willow.

The head of the City Government's negotiation team stared at the trembling aide with dull eyes that had lost their greenness.

"Say it again."

"Yes, yes. The council has agreed to hire mercenaries and contractors to escort the negotiation team this time..."

Thump! Thump! Thump!

A loud noise suddenly erupted from behind the aide.

It was the sound of the bookshelves in the study falling like dominoes.

The aide was more worried about a realistic concern than being frightened by the physical threat.

Who, and when, will clean that up.

Me, when I have time.

His mind was dizzy from the real-time increase in his workload.

"Why did the council, not me, the head of the negotiation team, decide on such an important personnel selection?"

"That's..."

The aide couldn't bring himself to say it.

A noble with pointed ears, a name that had both the meaning of awe and discrimination.

Elves, who adhered to an extreme form of pure-bloodism even among nobles, professed an isolation disguised as pride even in politics.

It meant they rejected factions.

It was impossible to tell his boss that he was being retaliated against for having been disliked in the past.

Even if he confessed, he would not understand.

That was the race called elves, who wore pride like clothes.

"...It's fine, it's not your fault. It's my fault for keeping you by my side, knowing your incompetence. I will protest this matter directly to the parties involved later."

Fortunately, Giselle calmed his anger.

The aide let out a breath he had been holding and clutched his chest.

It would have been perfect if he hadn't mentioned his incompetence in the middle, but he was grateful just for not being held responsible.

"This is the escort personnel selection reported to the city council. Please check it."

The aide quickly proceeded with the story so that there would be no further talk about the finished matter.

Five contractors and one mercenary corps.

It might seem like an insufficient number to escort the most important personnel, the negotiation team, but there were unavoidable circumstances.

A small elite group was required to maintain secrecy.

As long as their skills were guaranteed, it was just the right number.

"I'm not interested in contractors who pick up trash in the back of the city. The mercenary... his track record is decent. A war hero who received a medal?"

"They say he recently succeeded in a request against Centrim's Quadraple."

"The mercenary side seems promising. Support them so that they don't do anything that displeases me."

"Yes, I understand."

"You may leave now."

Giselle threw the escort list into the trash can and then issued an order to leave.

There was no time for small talk.

To appease the greed of the barbarians whose eyes were bloodshot with plunder, he was excessively rational.

He had no idea how the negotiations would go.

But he couldn't just let go, so he had to prepare for dozens of scenarios.

His aide couldn't have been unaware that he didn't even have time to sleep... but the aide was motionless.

Giselle frowned and asked.

"Is there anything else to say?"

"I'm sorry."

"If it's useless news, I'll fire you."

"I-it won't be."

The aide swallowed dryly and said.

Hoping that it wouldn't be useless news by his boss's standards.

"I believe I have reported that each company has promised to make a free contribution for the greater good in this negotiation."

"I remember."

"Among them, the biggest contributor is Sylvester, surpassing Centrim, which is surprising..."

"I'm not interested in the affairs of the lowly. Just get to the point."

"Anyway, they have offered greater support and have set a condition."

The aide took out a photo from his bosom.

Giselle took in the portrait of the woman in the photo.

"Is it related to that photo?"

"Claire Sylvester, the only blood relative of the current chairman of Sylvester."

"I've heard the name before. So?"

"Sylvester has proposed the condition of her presence at the negotiation table."

"..."

Giselle, who had not stopped reviewing the documents even in the midst of this, stopped his hand.

It was indeed not useless news.

But it was not welcome news either.

"Send her back. An outsider is a hindrance."

"W-well, about that."

The aide, looking troubled, bowed his head and repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists.

Giselle counted in his head.

When it reached 0, he would be fired.

The aide, using his wits, spoke just before it reached 0.

"They say the council has already accepted the condition. It seems the Sylvester family is in a lot of trouble right now, so they made a bold move... C-councilor?"

Giselle acted before the aide could finish his sentence.

He put on his coat and picked up a staff engraved with a magic support circuit.

His restrained movements, without any haste, instilled anxiety instead of admiration, unlike usual.

"Wh-where are you going?"

"To the council."

A condensed killing intent was contained in his sharp gaze and was directed towards the council beyond the window.

"You worthless worms. You're forcing me to a life-and-death struggle."

"N-no! Councilor! Stop! Councilor!!"

"Let go!"

The aide struggled to prevent the unprecedented event of a bloody battle in the council.

***

I headed to the city council.

A round dome-like roof that looked like it would split in half and numerous pillars supporting the entire building.

The city council of Gellerg City resembled the National Assembly building in reality.

Given the nationality of the game company, they must have referred to it a lot.

Perhaps because I had found a trace of my hometown, I even felt a sense of nostalgia.

But there was no time to be sentimental.

Because the rulers who governed the city did not even allow the lowly to have their own thoughts.

'Is this it?'

I stopped at the main entrance of an annex building of the city council.

The security was tight.

It seemed like no one was there, but a faint presence was constantly circling the area.

'The city council's permanent security forces.'

The largest in a single scale, their skills were comparable to the security forces of a large corporation.

They were the vanguards who protected the power of the city council.

"Contractor Allen."

Ddddd!

When I pressed the intercom and identified myself, the fence slid open to both sides.

I felt the gazes of surveillance lessen somewhat.

The gathering place was a conference room inside this building.

'Am I the last one?'

I had heard that there were five contractors selected for this request, including me.

Four were sitting at a round table divided by partitions.

A skinny skeleton, a blind swordsman, a robe, and an old woman with heavy makeup.

Each had a unique appearance.

'They must be contractors with a greater track record than me.'

I wasn't intimidated.

My experience was deeper than theirs.

My track record was lacking because I had been in the industry for a short time, but I didn't think my skills were inferior to theirs.

"..."

I sat in the remaining seat.

As expected of contractors famous for their lack of social skills, there was no friendly conversation.

They didn't even exchange glances, as if they had no interest in each other.

"Hehehe."

Only the old woman showed me a sign of welcome.

The emotion revealed on her face was a deep curiosity.

Rather than having a friendly personality, she seemed more interested in my face.

I felt like a mannequin on display in a show window.

Swallowing my displeasure, I turned my head to the side.

Zzt! Kkigik!

It was a man completely covered in a robe.

My five senses, which had been constantly enhanced, accurately captured the faint noise flowing from the man.

It was the unpleasant mechanical sound of a clockwork and screws moving.

Was he fiddling with some mechanical device under his robe to kill time?

"..."

I was suddenly engulfed in a sense of déjà vu.

I had never seen this person before.

But for some reason, a figure came to mind from my memory.

"Long time no see."

"…?"

He turned his head.

It was a mechanical movement, as if reacting to an external stimulus according to a condition.

"Are you pretending not to know?"

That confirmed it.

"Number 21, it's you, isn't it?"

A red glint shone from the darkness within the robe.

(End of Chapter)