Chapter 271 – Heading for an Alliance ⑥
“You…no, Kaoru, your Creation is A, right?”
“Correct. Come to think of it, you…err, Shion, your Creation was B, wasn’t it?”
“That’s true. And my Alchemy is A.”
“Hah, so it’s that kind of suggestion, eh? My Alchemy is B, so yeah.” Kaoru answers with a smile.
It looks like he fully understood what I’m suggesting from our conversation just now. Yep, as I thought, this guy is smart.
“What are we going to do about the rate?”
“We are of equal standing. In that case, the rate should be fair, right?”
“Indeed. Ah right, it’s fine to continue talking here, but how about I invite you to a calmer place, if you like?” Kaoru looks back, pointing his eyes inside his Domain.
“No, this place is close to the exit, so it’ll do.”
“You distrust me to such an extent?”
“We just need to build a mutual trust from now on. Right?”
“You got a point.” Kaoru readily agrees, as if having anticipated my reply.
“Hey…what are they talkin’ ’bout? Will I get a turn as well?”
“Seeing how they shook hands, that’s, like, very unlikely.”
“Aren’t they way too chummy?”
“Shion-cchi × Kaoru-cchi, huh? …That could totally fly!”
“Fly? Like how?”
“Like, on an emotional level!”
“Okay, but like how!?”
The idiots behind me start to kick up a fuss. I’m enjoying a sophisticated conversation here, and yet those morons are completely spoiling it.
――Shut up!
“Sorry…my subordinates are…”
“Ahaha. The strength of your subordinates is outside any norm, but the same can be said about their individuality, eh?”
“I’m truly sorry…”
“Hahaha, don’t worry. It makes you a lot more trustable than a Demon King who rules through fear. How about you explain it to them since we’ve got a chance now?”
Kaoru laughs cheerfully.
“Tsk…Takaharu, first off, you won’t get any turn this time…is what I can assume to be correct, right?” Towards the end I shift my eyes towards Kaoru, looking for his confirmation.
“Yep. That aligns with my interests.” Kaoru replies with a smile.
“Next, Kaoru and I are currently talking about my suggestion of trading.”
“Trading…?”
“A trade between my created items and Kaoru’s created subordinates.”
“Ooohh…slave trade! Just what ya’d expect of Demon Kings.”
“Kinda like trading Saburou for a wooden stick?”
“――Wh-!? My value is a lot higher!”
Takaharu coins our trading with a rather disturbing term. Sarah tries to sell off Saburou with Saburou loudly protesting about her low estimate.
“Eh? I can trade the vampire over there for a wooden stick?”
“Dream on… Besides, my side of the deal are items, right?”
“Aww, how regrettable. It’d be a quite charming trade offer for me, though.”
“Shion-sama, I’ve heard your passionate feelings towards me loud and clearly…! And I accept them on all accounts!”
Damn it…the conversation keeps derailing.
“For the time being, you guys stay silent.”
I order my dumb subordinates, and get back to the main topic.
“Okay, let’s start talking about the details then.”
“I wish for it to become a trade both of us can accept.”
The negotiations with Kaoru begin.
“First, the rate. It’s fine to go with an equivalent exchange, right?”
“You mean as in B-Rank items for B-Rank subordinates, and A-Rank items for A-Rank subordinates?”
“You got it.”
“I have no problem with that.”
“There’s one more demand from my side.”
“What would that be?”
“Kaoru, your Alchemy is B, right?”
“Yep.”
“Then you wouldn’t need any items that can be created at Alchemy B, would you?”
“I’d say so, yes.”
“In such a case, it’d be alright to limit the trading to A-Rank items and subordinates, correct?”
“Hmm…I see. Sure.”
After pondering about it for a short moment, Kaoru agrees to my restriction. However, this suggestion isn’t all nice and shiny as it might seem. What I’ll offer are items. On the other hand, Kaoru is going to offer subordinates.
Kaoru just needs to accept the items, but I have to turn the subordinates into bloodkin. Just accepting one costs me all my CP. Thus it’s only natural for me to aim for as high-ranked subordinates as possible.
“Lastly, are we going to do the trading right away, or should we make lists of what we can offer each other and move the trading to another day?”
“I think another day would be best.”
“Okay.”
I exchanged telephone number and Email address with Kaoru as we had decided to postpone the actual trading to another day.
◆
“Welcome back～ Did the alliance work out?”
Once I returned to my Domain, Kanon rushed straight over to me.
“Yes, we’ve got an alliance.”
“Ooohh…that’s great to hear. And, were you able to successfully lead Kaoru around by the nose?”
“…I wonder about that.” I smile wryly as I recall the negotiations with Kaoru.
Then I told Kanon about the state of the negotiations with Kaoru.
“He was quite witty and smart, wasn’t he?”
“If we had continued to fight him, we might have suffered heavier losses than expected, I think”
“For Kaoru to make you speak so highly of him…it’s the appearance of my rival!”
“Hah?”
“Eh?”
“Well, whatever. For starters, select the items that can be created at Alchemy A, and send the list to this mail address.”
“Okaaay! Leaving aside the unique items, should I conceal the existence of the sacred treasures?”
Unique items have been available since Alchemy B. It’d probably be pointless to hide them.
“The sacred treasures, huh…? No, you can also list the sacred treasures we have over.”
“Huh? You’re going to tell him about those?”
“Highlight them as featured trade items.”
“Okaaay…if all goes well, we might be able to exchange a sacred treasure for a “unique subordinate.””
Unique subordinates. Those are very powerful subordinates you can create after your Creation reaches A-Rank.
“Do you know the number of unique subordinates that can be created at Creation A?”
“I dooo! There’s eight of them.”
“Do you know what kind of subordinates they are?”
“Let’s see…an offensive type, a defensive type, a mana type, a balanced type, a growth type, a weapon type…and two special ability types, I think.”
Kanon answers based on the information of Knowledge, but it’s all kind of vague.
“What’s a growth type?”
“A species with a plethora of possible evolutions.”
“And the weapon type?”
“A species extremely skilled at handling weapons.”
“And the special ability types?”
“I don’t know what kind of types they are for Devil Demon Kings, but…if it’s Fairy Demon Kings, it looks like they can create a species specialized on healing, and one specialized on enemy detection.”
“I see.”
Unique subordinates, eh…? I’d love to have one by all means.
I put a list of the items our side can offer into a mail and sent it. Then I waited for Kaoru’s response.
Chapter 272 – Heading for an Alliance ⑦
〜♪
The melody informing me of the arrival of a new mail plays. Once I check the smartphone’s display, it’s from Kaoru.
『Is it okay for me to confirm something before I send you my list?』
『What is it?』
I sent a concise reply.
『It looks like the unique items cover all types, but is that really alright with you?』
The unique items have three subtypes for each kind, totaling to 81 items, but my list contained the weakest subtype of each unique item type, except for the spear type. When your Alchemy is at B-Rank, you can create one unique item for each weapon, armor, or accessory type. Kaoru might not know that you can create three subtypes per kind once your Alchemy reaches A-Rank.
I guess I’ll mislead him here by pretending to be kind.
『No problem. As additional information for you: I haven’t included the spear to my list. I use spears as my preferred weapon of choice, so it’ll be impossible for me to answer any trade requests for spears』
I weave in a bit of truth for good measure.
『Your kindness is really scary, Shion』
『Don’t worry. A suitable compensation is indispensable when trading』
『A suitable compensation, eh…? That only made it even scarier. Is it okay for me to ask another question?』
『What?』
『What is that 『Sacred Treasure』 mentioned in the list?』
『Special feature』
『Without any explanation?』
An explanation, huh…? I weigh the merits and demerits of providing an explanation in my head. Hmm, I guess it’s not much of a problem to tell him.
『Sacred treasures are special items you can create once your Alchemy reaches A-Rank. If I’m going to describe their nature, I think it’d be easiest to understand if I call them growing items』
『Growing items? Are those limited in number?』
『Yes, they are. To be precise, you can only create one of each kind』
『Can I choose the type?』
『No, that’s impossible. The only one I can hand over is the greatsword』
I worried about which sacred treasure I should put on the list, but after taking my subordinate’s equipment into account, I chose the greatsword which has the least users among my subordinates.
『I see. Is that the reason why you splurged so much on the unique items?』
『Is there any need for me to be as kind as to answer that?』
『You’re my first alliance partner, you know? I think you could treat me a tiny bit more kindly. Is it okay for me to ask another question?』
『You sure have a lot of questions. I still haven’t received your list though?』
『Sorry, sorry. This is going to be my last question』
『So, what is it?』
『If I said I want a sacred treasure, you’d demand a fitting compensation, right?』
『That’s going to be your last question?』
『No, no! Umm, Shion, do you know about the subordinates that can be created once your Creation reaches A-Rank?』
Kaoru is indirectly asking me whether I’m aware of 『Unique Subordinates』. Now then, how should I answer that…?
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