Chapter 22: Second Deal

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

w

Chapter 22: Second Deal

“This is more than I expected.”

Nice looked around the place, assessing it as if he were appraising a company, just as Yoo had done.

Then he stopped in front of me.

[Sixth Sense LV. 2]

“You must be the sub-master of this place…”

Nice muttered something about me, his brow furrowing as he spoke.

Then, in an instant, he hastily corrected himself.

“No, you're the Administrator...”

It was only for a fleeting moment, but I could feel it.

Nice’s demeanor had changed briefly.

‘…Was Nice always this intimidating?’

It was so brief that I barely recognized it, but for a moment, I felt a cold chill freeze my entire body.

I subtly touched my neck.

It was still there.

If it weren’t for [Foundation's Star], my legs might have given out, and I would have collapsed.

‘…An Executor is still an Executor.’

The only relief was that the chill that froze my entire body was fleeting, and it didn’t seem like Nice intended to harm me.

After a brief standoff, Nice spoke first.

“First, I’ll give you the reward for the [Proof]. Even though it was a mission assigned by another Executor, it wasn’t something a [Silver] rank company could normally handle. I heard you wanted support for equipment and a blacksmith.”

Dozens of holograms appeared behind Nice.

It was the trade window used for exchanging items between players.

“The blacksmith should already be here. As for the equipment support… Is there something specific you want?”

My initial thought was to request an EX+ rank weapon, but…

‘Let’s not overstep.’

It was true that the Executors had a high opinion of our company.

But that was only in comparison to low-rank companies like [Silver] or [Gold]…

‘It’s not like our company is particularly special or anything.’

If we violated the laws of [Headquarters], the judgment would be swift and ruthless.

‘…It was a forced mission, plus the Proof even involved the Union.’

In terms of difficulty, it was at the upper end of [Gold] missions.

No, it might have even reached the lower end of [Platinum].

Even the system recognized it as an absurd accomplishment, so I was certain that the flexible Nice would be lenient with reasonable requests.

‘The most I can probably ask for, as a [Silver] rank, is B- level equipment.’

B- gear was already beyond human standards.

For example, a B- rank sword could slice through rock as if it were soft tofu.

‘With just one B- rank piece of equipment, we’d be able to handle [Gold] missions with ease.’

But simply receiving B- rank gear wouldn’t mean much.

No matter how sharp the sword is—capable of cutting through rocks and oceans—it’s nothing more than an artifact if no one can use it.

‘…We don’t have any employees capable of properly handling high-rank equipment yet.’

Even if I were given B- rank equipment or higher, no one would be able to wield it effectively.

Nice seemed to understand this as he waited patiently for my choice.

Of course, I could probably find a way to make use of high-rank equipment.

But I decided against it.

‘…It wouldn’t be efficient.’

So, what’s the best choice?

The answer was simpler than I thought.

After organizing my thoughts, I stated what I wanted.

“Growth-type equipment.”

If the equipment could grow alongside its user, there wouldn’t be any risk of hitting usage limits or it becoming obsolete later on.

“Growth-type equipment…?”

Nice crossed his arms and looked at me, as if my answer was unexpected.

“F-, the lowest tier.”

“...Let me explain, in case you’re not aware: even the lowest tier growth-type equipment is comparable to an ordinary A-rank piece.”

His response was sharp.

Nice’s reaction was understandable.

Growth-type equipment was harder to obtain than A-rank equipment.

And I had just boldly asked for one.

Moreover, it came from a company that had just reached [Silver] rank.

“…Do you really want growth-type equipment?”

I didn’t respond to Nice’s question, deliberately leaving it unanswered to show that I had no intention of backing down.

Nice’s expression grew even more complex.

‘This negotiation is in my favor.’

I never reveal my hand unless I have good reason to believe I can win.

‘…The laws of Headquarters apply even to Executors.’

Under normal circumstances, I might have been beheaded on the spot for disrespecting Headquarters, but my head was still attached.

That revealed an important fact.

‘…At the very least, Nice is willing to have a conversation.’

From here on, I needed to use every card in my hand to tilt the negotiation in my favor.

I slowly began to speak.

“Presenting a mission beyond the assigned [rank]. Failing to provide the necessary information that Headquarters should have supplied.”

Strictly speaking, it was Yoo who caused this situation, but since it was the misdeeds of a colleague affiliated with Headquarters, shouldn’t another Executor clean up the mess?

‘The laws of Headquarters include provisions for damage compensation, so this argument will hold.’

I could see the veins on Nice’s forehead bulging as he listened silently.

Of course, I had no intention of stopping.

After all, we were the victims here.

“Not to mention the exploitation of subcontractors and the use of verbal agreements…”

He should have understood at this point, but I decided to ask Nice just in case.

“...Shall I continue?”

“...That’s enough.”

I had won.

Or so I thought, for a moment.

Nice paused, as if he were considering something, and then spoke again.

“…However, I cannot recklessly consume the assets of Headquarters, not even for someone like you. Therefore, I’ll need you to prove that I can trust you.”

"..."

That wasn’t the answer I was hoping for.

‘Do I have to do that again…?’

Honestly, if I had to prove myself again like this, even I would struggle to handle it.

But of course, that worry was short-lived.

"...About a week from now. A festival will be held by the Headquarters for three days."

Nice gave an answer I hadn’t expected at all.

"If you participate in the martial arts tournament there and achieve a meaningful result… I’ll give you the growth-type equipment."

Ding-

[Assigned Points: 1,000]

[Martial Arts Tournament: Achieve a result that satisfies the Knight King.]

[Coordinates: Camelot (Undetectable)]

[Time Remaining: 9 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes]

‘A festival?!’

It was one of the events held by the Headquarters only during the preseason.

Usually, only individuals selected by the Headquarters could enjoy the event.

Among them, the companies participating in the martial arts tournament were mostly [Platinum] level, so the difficulty would be quite high.

‘…But it's doable.’

Despite its name, the martial arts tournament was not merely a contest of strength.

‘It’s about which company can isolate the designated creature the fastest, as per the company’s orders.’

That was the true nature of the martial arts tournament held in Camelot.

And when it came to creatures, I was confident I could win, even if I went up against a [Master]-level company right away.

After all, I was ranked No. 1 in the KeepWorld.

"...If you accept this, you won’t receive any compensation for the proof. Instead, I’ll replace it with a [9th-rank Staff Selection Recruitment Ticket]."

On top of that, they were offering an alternative reward since they couldn’t give me what they originally promised right now.

‘…They’re even giving me a guaranteed staff recruitment ticket?’

Negotiations were done.

At first glance, it might seem like I wasn’t getting the reward I was owed, but that wasn’t the case at all.

‘Honestly, even getting random C+ equipment would’ve been more than enough for me…’

I’d be participating in a festival open only to [Gold] members and above, and they were throwing in a recruitment ticket as well.

With the rewards doubled like this, I had no reason to refuse.

"I accept."

[The 9th-rank Staff Selection Recruitment Ticket has been assigned to you.]

"I was wondering why Yoo took a liking to you… Turns out you’re one of his kind."

A cold sensation washed over me again.

Thud-

Nice slammed a greatsword into the ground, though I hadn’t even noticed when he drew it.

Then—

“Gasp! A, an Executor!”

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

w

“What the—! Where did they come from?”

The previously calm employees reacted in shock.

"...I’ll take my leave now."

Nice said that one line and headed for the front door.

Then Mari, looking bewildered, opened her mouth.

“He, he’s just leaving?”

As if she had no clue what had just happened.

...

Suddenly, a chill ran through my body.

‘What did Mari just say?’

...Just leaving?

If she had heard the conversation between Nice and me, there’s no way she could say something like that.

‘Come to think of it, whenever I played the game, there were occasional moments of buffering during Nice’s interactions.’

It was as if time itself stopped during those moments of buffering.

If I considered that those weren’t just simple lags...

It meant that the place where we had been conversing wasn’t the company’s waiting room, but Nice’s own domain.

‘Since when?’

Cold sweat ran down my back.

In simple terms, it meant I could’ve been executed without anyone knowing at any moment.

‘Even though Nice is considered lenient compared to other Executors, the pressure is still no joke.’

I had solidified my goal.

‘As I thought, I need to grow my company to the point where even Executors can’t pressure me.’

I glanced at the points. The 500 points required for the recent payment had already been deducted.

I awkwardly curled my lips into a smile as I watched Nice’s retreating figure.

"This is... everyone’s got a temper."

Mari seemed to notice the shakiness in my voice and rushed over.

"Administrator, are you okay?! What was that all about?"

Seeing Mari panic, Khan and Yon, who had been nearby, widened their eyes and looked at me as well.

"Are you alright?"

"Uh..."

Honestly, I wasn’t alright.

I still had the lingering feeling of that cold sensation.

I crossed my arms.

After a moment, the chill that had seemed to freeze my entire body melted away like snow.

"...We’ve gotten through the second deal without any trouble, so let’s get back to work."

"Administrator, you don’t look well. Shouldn’t you take a break?"

"...I am feeling a bit tired. Maybe I should rest for a bit?"

I was surprised to see her so concerned about my health, but when I looked closely, I noticed Mari was trying her hardest to suppress her constantly rising grin.

"...You just don’t want to work, do you?"

"Oh, you caught me?"

"‘You caught me’ is not what I want to hear. As punishment, do ten laps with the [Kobold Warlord] and then go to training."

"If I do that, I’ll have to train until late tonight!"

I had already assigned Mari and Khan a six-hour daily training course as a personal task.

Usually, after they finished their training, it would be time for bed, but if they did ten laps with the Kobold Warlord, they’d probably have to pull an all-nighter.

Well, not my problem...

"Oh, and while you’re at it, take Beryl with you. It’ll be more efficient with him there."

If I was sending Mari anyway, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to attach a totem for earning points.

"W-wait. I wasn’t doing anything!"

Beryl, who had been minding his own business, jumped in surprise, trying to prove his innocence, but this was less about his guilt and more about being dragged along as a 1+1 offer since Mari was going anyway.

‘He’s kind of pitiful, but…’

This was all because Beryl had the [Mercenary] trait, leading to this sort of mishap.

‘But I can't ignore efficiency.’

Clapping my hands, I turned their attention to me.

"That's it. The rest of you, get back to your tasks. Mari and Beryl, run Dungeon 10 ten more times. I can track how many times you run it, so don't even think about slacking off. Do it honestly."

Mari and Beryl looked half out of their minds.

"Ugh... I shouldn't have said anything."

"Hehe... Kobolds. I hate them."

"If you keep complaining, I'll add five more runs."

"Eek!"

"Fine! We're going!"

Mari and Beryl, startled, ran away from me.

"...Well, now that I've sent the staff off, time to get back to my work."

Normally, this would have been the end of today's tasks.

However, since Nice left me an unexpected reward, I had to handle some business before the day ended.

"Now, what's left is the restaurant and a chef, I suppose?"

Building the [Restaurant (LV. 1)] would cost 1,000 points.

You might wonder why expanding a staff convenience facility costs so many points, but this was more than just a simple convenience.

‘The food made here all comes with stat boosts.’

Just by regularly eating meals, physical abilities would improve.

That's why this was a must-build facility early on.

Plus, a chef would be hired, so it was definitely worth the investment.

[Construction of the restaurant has begun. (Time remaining until completion – 07:59)]

‘Next up, staff recruitment!’

[Would you like to use the Rank 9 Staff Recruitment Ticket?]

As I mentally accepted, a brown book appeared in my hands instead of the usual envelope.

Shff—

When I opened the book, it contained various details.

From [Melee] to [Ranged].

From [Technician] to [Magician].

Shff—

I quickly flipped through the pages since I already knew what I wanted.

It didn’t take long to find what I was looking for.

"Found it."

[Chef]

A smile tugged at my lips, the frustration from earlier quickly fading.

There had been some twists and turns, but I had built a near-perfect early game setup.

"I didn't expect to unlock the chef and restaurant tech this early, though..."

As soon as I selected the page labeled [Chef], the book began to tear apart.

Right after that, the final piece of the early build fell into place.

[Rank 9 Staff ‘Bilbo’ has joined your team. Please give him a warm welcome.]

[Rank 9 Staff ‘Bilbo’ has entered the company.]

[The Foundation’s Star has confirmed the skill.]

[Basic Cooking (LV. 1) applies to 'Administrator'.]

The last puzzle piece was in place.

Even heavy spenders would envy this early game build.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

w