[Title: Seriously, this Fate Quest of the Buyer is Hilariously Unreasonable]
Content: Is this written from Lan’s perspective?
-: Yeah, in Lan’s perspective, it’s about the party member defense that Gadam couldn’t take out.
-[Writer]: This is entertaining ㅋㅋ
-: …It’s not fun at all.
-[Writer]: What’s with the complaints?
-[Writer]: Is this about some screwed-up plot development again? Spoiler alert ㅅㅂ
-: If this game has a messed-up plot, isn’t that already a given, not a spoiler?
-: Someone dies (Not a spoiler).
-[Writer]: Ah, screw this ㅅㅂ
————————————————-
[Title: Man, This Buyer Fate Quest is Seriously Unreasonable ㅋㅋㅋ]
Content: Seriously, making a mad movie about resource acquisition,
this is done for sure, completely done, as evident in the report.
Damn it.
How does this guy have so many resources?
Cheating in this by himself?
Using all my resources to bribe one party member?
-: Yeah, dude is doing everything from human trafficking to selling drugs and smuggling, basically anything he can do to make money. That’s why his money keeps multiplying.
Does this make sense?
-: It’s just game money.
But looking at the conditions text on that guy’s bribe is genuinely absurd.
You can’t possibly refuse to be bribed.
-[Writer]: They’re from the same city council, how is there such a gap in leverage ㅅㅂ
-: Lan… This guy only knows how to care for citizens, a foolish and ignorant fool…
-: Gadam, if he has even one family member, will sell drugs to parents, sell children to debt-owed parents, and if there’s no money for parental medication, he’ll involve them in crime.
It’s obvious, he’s basically the god of creating added value. How can Lan compete?
-: Lan: Yeah, I’ll keep making orphanages and keep funding them.
-: Gadam: Yeah, I’ll keep funding orphanages and keep creating orphans.
-: Who wins this?
-: Who do you think?
-[Writer]: My head’s going to explode.
-[Writer]: Seriously though, is there not some way to stop kids from being involved?
-: Just threaten them at knife-point or something, yeah.
-: Gadam’s already better at that.
-[Writer]: So frustrating, can I even bribe this guy Gadam’s minions?
-: ㅋㅋ If you can, go for it.
————————————————-
Lan opened her mouth solemnly.
But soon closed it again.
Unable to promise a better offer than what Gadam had promised them.
Unable to find a reasonable justification for why they shouldn’t leave her.
Perhaps any reason she could give would lack sufficient convincing power.
Shouting about honor and justice would sound like nothing more than a tantrum.
Thus, the words she could say were already determined.
“I respect your positions.”
“I’m sorry it came to this.”
[… has left the party]
“That’s how it is. I won’t ask for your understanding.”
[… has left the party]
“My deepest regrets.”
[… has left the party]
“Miss… Forgive me. Please stay safe.”
[… has left the party]
“You know our family’s circumstances!!! Please don’t look at me that way!!!”
[… has left the party]
“…”
[City Councilor Lan has left the party]
▶ Fate 10: Buyer
————————————————-
“…”
Lan, sitting at her desk, was deeply troubled.
The worst-case scenario she feared had become a reality.
Gadam.
He had reached out to the three great figures.
Lan had never doubted their friendship.
Had never doubted their honor.
But she knew.
To those in a position representing groups, there are times when collective interests must take precedence over personal friendships and honors.
Gadam had surely approached them with a perfect understanding of this.
Thus, Lan could neither stop nor dissuade them.
“Please…”
There was only one thing Lan could do.
To hope, at least, that they could withstand the conditions Gadam would present.
“Lan-sama.”
After a short while, her steward informed her that the three giants had returned.
Lan immediately headed out of her office to meet them.
She made sure to appear as if they had just naturally bumped into each other, to avoid making them uncomfortable.
“Ah.”
“… Hmm.”
“…”
Still, an awkward current flowed between the four of them.
Finally, the three exchanged glances.
“Miss Lan, may we speak to you briefly?”
Shakan spoke for them.
What was coming had been inevitable.
“Certainly.”
Lan, putting on a deliberately calm front, led them to her office.
Since there was no point beating around the bush, the conversation went straight to the point.
“To be honest, council member Gadam approached us with a proposal. He suggested that the credit for our recent achievements be attributed to him.”
As expected.
“… What did Gadam offer you in return?”
“That’s-”
As the details unfolded, Lan clenched her teeth.
What Gadam had offered them exceeded her wildest expectations.
Lan had neither massive funds like Gadam, no illegal networks for procuring rare items, nor the political leverage to compel cooperation from other influential families.
Lan had opened her mouth with determination.
But it closed again just as quickly.
Unable to find a reason why they should stay by her side and not side with Gadam.
Most likely, no reason would have enough persuasive power.
In this situation, appealing to honor and justice would only come off as whining.
Ultimately, there was only one action left for Lan to take.
“I respect your positions.”
Councilor Lan lowered her head in weakness.
“Wait-”
“No. You don’t owe me any justification. I repeat, I respect your choices… and understand them.”
Her emotional voice was less about persuading the others than convincing herself.
Lan’s tightly clenched fists trembled as if shaking from the cold.
She tasted her own misery and despair while she waited for them to leave the room.
“No, it’s not- we rejected that offer.”
“?”
Lan raised her head, stunned, her face a picture of utter confusion.
“How… Why would you refuse…?”
Without realizing, Lan’s voice had taken on an accusing tone, as if she couldn’t possibly accept any answer.
“Rishe-”
“Ahhh.”
But the moment Valrod mentioned that first name, Lan instinctively nodded her head.
The result of repeated conditioning.
Lan felt her senses had gone completely awry.
“We have all come to an agreement that the authority to make this decision solely rests with him.”
“?”“It can’t be helped. We didn’t do anything in the extermination, did we?”
“…”
No! Don’t say that!
It was something that needed to be completely negated, but Lan could do nothing but awkwardly avert her gaze.
The decisive information provision that led the extermination was indeed Rishe’s.
However, the actual execution in the extermination was carried out by the three great figures.
Without Rishe, the expulsion of the社交ists would most likely have failed.
But, similarly, without the three great figures?
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
Probably, even then, the expulsion of the社交ists would not have succeeded, right?
That is to say, Rishe alone.
Though there was no basis, some of them felt it was quite plausible.
If an old mage were to see, the scene could well be “Though somewhat different, he is Rishe nonetheless,” and nodding their head in agreement.
“So, let’s wait for Rishe’s decision.”
They looked uncomfortably at each other.
-knock knock
“Hmm?”
As usual, Rishe was practicing swordsmanship in the garden attached to his room when the knocking sound came.
He shifted his steps at the sound of the knock.
“Master Rishe, I apologize for interrupting your busy schedule. Would it be possible to spare a moment now, if you’re not too busy?”
The woman standing at the door was the maid assigned to take care of him during his stay at the manor.
“What is it?”
“Councilor Gadam sent a gift.”
“Councilor Gadam…?”
Rishe’s eyes tensed.
Councilor Gadam.
Rishe remembered his name as one of the people of interest in Bondales.
As the overall head of the Bondales Security Corps and one of the central figures in the Bondales social circle, he was one of the most powerful individuals in the city.
“Lady Lan probably held him in high regard too, right?”
Gadam, the one who sent a gift to him.
‘So the time has come.’
Rishe recalled his conversation with Shakan from the previous day.
-“Councilor Gadam might try to approach you soon to take the credit of the extermination from Lady Lan.”
-“It’s entirely your right and authority, so you decide as you see fit.”
‘Recap, so Gadam is courting while Lan is worried – roughly that kind of situation, right?’
Two of the city’s power figures fighting to claim him.
Just considering that, it was a thrilling situation.
However, upon closer examination, the situation was rather complicated.
Rishe, as an honored mage of the Gray Mage Tower, aimed to act appropriately, so he had absorbed all the relevant information.
Included in the information he had absorbed was the political situation of Bondales.
“Lady Lan is incorruptible, but her power is correspondingly weak, and Gadam, on the other hand, has strong power, but correspondingly…”
Rishe well knew of the negative rumors surrounding Gadam.
‘Cannot associate with unsavory fellows under the name of the Gray Mage Tower.’
As such, Rishe’s decision was already made.
However, separately,
He had a part that he was worried about.
In Rishe’s view, he was by no means a morally perfect human.
Nor a completely ascetic one.
‘What if they offer such a large sum of money, how should I deal with it then?’
Even in such a case, could he make the right choice?
Rishe’s expression darkened with anguish.
At the interpretation of Rishe’s silence in such a state, suddenly, Dhangaleon, who was previously bickering with Clanar, shouted.
– You wench!!! How dare you make my lord uncomfortable!
“…”
The maid, who was merely a servant of the mansion, did not know about the speaking crystal ball.
As the maid gasped, Rishe spoke to calm her.
“Ah, don’t be alarmed. It’s just a sealed demon. As you can see, it lacks a mouth, so even if it tries to bite, it can’t.”
“A demon…!”
-Lady!!! Did my lord not say to not be alarmed?!
“I’m sorry…! I apologize!”
“Just, can you stay still?”
-Have you heard?! Lady, immediately cease all actions! Until my lord’s command, I will not even allow a breath!
“Not really…”
With a sigh, Rishe headed toward the bed.
After uncovering the blanket, he sealed Dhangaleon there.
-This place…! My lord is asking me to rest in HIS bed?! My lord…! I’m at a loss on what to do with such a sudden reward!
<So, that's why you turned into a crystal ball? Because you didn't know where to lie?>
-Hahaha!!! You weapon, you’re jealous! Envious that I claimed my lord’s bed!
<What nonsense? Why should I be jealous? I stuffed you in there because you're too loud. Don’t you get it?>
-Ugh!!! Any weapon, any wench, cannot feel what I am feeling – the distinct warmth of my lord!
<Disgusting thing. Feel it all you want. Hey, Rishe. Let's leave.>
-Lord!!! If you’re taking her, you must take me as well!!!
“…”
Rishe rubbed his forehead.
Shall we practice swordsmanship?
No, let’s do magic practice.
In the last few days, the childish squabbles between the killing ghost and the demon had been repeated countless times.
Rishe had no intention of experiencing those outside training in daily life.
With a tired look, he even shoved the blue lotus into the blanket.
<Hey!!!>
-Lord!!! Why her?! What has this worthless weapon done to deserve the same reward as me?!
Ignoring the cries of these two weapons, Rishe left the room with the maid.
They eventually arrived at the reception room of the mansion where the three great figures were already waiting.
“You’ve arrived.”
The agent who was talking with the three great figures immediately stood up and bowed to Rishe.
Rishe reciprocated the bow and asked the three great figures.
“What were you discussing?”
“We were talking about you.”
After receiving a rejection in the previous negotiations, Gadam had come up with better terms for the three great figures.
Including rewards for Rishe.
As a result, the three great figures’ expressions had become more complicated.
“Lord Rishe, please take your seat. As you’re a busy person, let’s get straight to the point.”
As soon as Rishe took his seat, the agent turned the direction of the container on the table towards him.
“On behalf of Bondales and the Security Corps, Councilor Gadam expresses gratitude and goodwill for Lord Rishe’s success in the extermination of the社交ists. Please accept it kindly.”
Rishe did not miss the meaning hidden within the words.
‘On behalf of Bondales and the Security Corps…’
The moment he accepted this gift, he would implicitly acknowledge that this success belongs to Gadam and the Security Corps. In that case, Lan would no longer be able to claim any credit for the extermination.
‘In Lan’s house, trying to buy Lan’s people…’
Rishe was somewhat impressed by his methods. His concerns deepened further.“Truly an undesirable human to associate with—”
Such were the thoughts crossing his mind.
“Really, what if an offer I can’t refuse comes out from in there?”
At that moment,
The proxy opened the box.
And began explaining the contents.
“…!”
The three great figures simultaneously drew in their breath.
This was no object for an individual to handle.
At minimum, it was a treasure that should be strictly managed at the Mage Tower level.
Additionally, a treasure that could bring benefit to the entire Mage Tower.
The three great figures immediately discerned the intent contained within the treasure.
“Not aimed at winning Rishe’s favor, but the entire Mage Tower’s…!”
An offer that one couldn’t refuse if thinking for the group had been presented to Rishe as well.
Indeed.
“…”
Even he, remarkable as he was, couldn’t hide his bewilderment at the sight of the treasure inside the box.
“Seems you’ve recognized it. Yes, correct. The core of an upper-tier spirit.”
Elsewhere. Didoa’s Laboratory at the Gray Mage Tower.
“Hm?”
An幼wolf that had been sunbathing on a sofa, bathed in the sunlight by the window, suddenly stood up.
Soon, the wolf transformed into human form—
“Kehk…Cough! Cough!”
And spat out a bead onto the floor.
“Ferrin, are you all right?”
Didoa, a half-race Young Lady nearby, hurried over and gently patted her back.
“It’s been a while since you expelled a core, hasn’t it?”
“Since I haven’t seen that guy in a while.”
“So that’s why? The density seems a bit low too. This probably qualifies as a mid-tier core, doesn’t it?”
Didoa opened a drawer.
The drawer, divided into three sections, rattled as various beads inside it mixed together.
At first, Didoa was shocked at the ever-increasing number of cores, but now she had grown accustomed to it.
When the Mage Tower’s mages, who relied on Perrin’s cores for epidemic treatment research, had their ‘second core’ delivered, they were astonished.
But by the time the ‘third core’ was delivered, their reaction had already changed.
“Rishe…”
“Ahhh…”
Didoa closed the drawer after placing the core in the middle section.
The many beads inside the drawer jingled loudly as they mixed.
“…This is a gift from Councilor Gadam. Aren’t you going to accept it?”
The proxies stood dumbfounded after hearing Rishe’s negative reply.
“Rishe, my boy…!”
Valrod was no different.
The mage clearly understood the value contained within that treasure.
And Rishe just let out a bitter laugh.
“This… our home’s spirits seem to periodically regurgitate these.”
Of course, he couldn’t just say that, so he beat around the bush.
“I believe this is the right choice.”
“…!”
“…!”
“…!”
Shock was evident on the faces of the three great figures.
“Rishe, you young mage… you’re making me, Valrod, reflect on myself.”
“?”
“You… Is that so… I, hidden behind the pretext of prioritizing the group, have turned away from the greater good, haven’t I…”
“?”
“Damn it, Rishe… What am I supposed to be by your saying that…”
“…?”
Suddenly, the three great figures stared at him with shining eyes, brimming with emotion.
“What is it?”
Rishe just sighed, not understanding the situation.
Meanwhile, the proxy, with a troubled expression, quietly exited the room.
“Reject my gift?”
Gadam couldn’t mask his shock.
‘That young mage… does he have no sense of judgment? How can he pass up that thing—’
Yet, his shock didn’t last long.
In truth, Gadam already had a backup plan in mind.
If persuasion failed, all he had to do was move on to the next phase.
“Summon Cadogen.”
Cadogen, the shaman of the White Scales Tribe.
She was the inheritor of ‘Spirit-Walking,’ an ancient tribal divination shamanistic art passed down through generations of the clan.
Spirit Walking allowed her to spy on her target’s ‘Karma,’ and with Gadam’s access to her abilities, he had uncovered the weaknesses of his enemies, thereby tilting “negotiations” in his desired direction.
“…”
Cadogen was already in a prepared basement, sprinkling the blood of sacred beasts around as she began the ceremony.
Finally, the completed shamanistic array—Cadogen stepped onto the center and whispered the target’s name.
“Rishe…”
In her hand, she held a part of Rishe’s body (a strand of hair) sent by an undercover agent planted in Lan Manor.
For a moment, she concentrated and chewed the hair before swallowing it.
“…!”
Cadogen.
She shook off the bone-chilling dark energy that had gripped her mind.
‘Where am I—’
She focused her eyes, trying to understand the essence of the space shrouded in thick fog.
As she did, something began to approach from the depths of the fog.
It was an army of the dead.
‘A Necromancer…!’
The horrifying and evil entity was leading the army of the dead forward.
Then, the Necromancer’s body passed through her own.
“…!”
In that instant, she successfully glimpsed the emotion in the Necromancer’s murky eyes.
It was certainly not the gaze of someone leading an invasion.
As the fog cleared, she belatedly realized what the Necromancer was facing.
The shaman understood the situation immediately, but it still took some time to fully accept it.
Necromancer.Running away.
Connecting those two concepts wasn’t easy.
This was just a part of the Karma that the man had accumulated.
“Wheeek…!”
The Spirit Walking ritual failed to complete.
The Shaman had snapped out of it while the ritual was still in progress, unable to bear the prospect of witnessing more of his Karma.
Her eyes shook violently.
“Gadam, you crazy fool… What have you meddled with?!”
The shaman started hastily packing her belongings.
It was not too late, even now.
The shaman clearly knew where she belonged.
[Cardogan has left the party]
*
