Claire Sylvester is a beautiful woman.

Her glossy hair swayed in the wind, her refined features harmonized with her splendid accessories, and her well-managed body was free of excess fat.

Even if she wasn't a noble, she was an upper-class woman who exuded a natural dignity.

If Centrim emphasized a familiarity that permeated daily life, Sylvester used luxury as its weapon.

This was thanks to the great success of a marketing strategy that once featured the appearance of Claire, the only daughter of the Sylvester chairman.

Even now that her popularity has waned due to various circumstances, there were many who expressed interest in her.

Claire knew how to use her appearance.

As they say, you can't spit on a smiling face. If she approached with a friendly smile, whoever it was would soon relax their guard.

Even if that opponent was an elf, Claire was confident.

It was confidence, not arrogance.

"...Excuse me, Councilor?"

"..."

The confidence soon evaporated.

The wall of reality was thick.

The self-centered noble, the elf, showed more than she had imagined.

"What are you looking at?"

"..."

"It was negotiation-related data. I have something to say about that, too. I know you're busy, but could you spare a moment to share your opinion?"

"I'm busy."

Giselle dismissed it, even though it wasn't just small talk for the purpose of building friendship, but about work.

Only silence filled the venue.

He didn't just not speak to her, he didn't even give her a glance.

It was a disregard that could not be described by the cliché word 'hazing'.

"..."

A crack appeared in Claire's well-drawn smile.

It was a makeup she had done her best on to give a good impression to the high-ranking person.

She had never imagined that it wouldn't work at all.

Well, he was an elf famous for his beauty.

Seeing him in person, there was no exaggeration at all.

Since his own face, which he saw every day, was model and celebrity-level, he probably wouldn't feel any emotion for an ordinary appearance.

"Whatever the circumstances, I have allowed you to accompany my schedule. So I won't say anything more about that. But don't overstep your bounds beyond that."

There was no wall like this.

Claire asked her aide for help with a glance.

The aide stealthily turned his gaze away.

It must mean that he was originally a rigid and stubborn person.

If even his close aide had given up, she, an outsider, had no answer.

"...Hoo."

Claire had high hopes for this meeting.

For Claire, whose position was unstable, a friendship with a councilor was a joker card that could overturn the unfavorable succession structure.

That's why she took the gamble of jumping into inter-city negotiations herself.

If she successfully concluded the negotiations through full support and set foot in the political world, she could grow the company further.

But if she failed, not only the succession structure, but the company Sylvester itself would be shaken.

On the other hand, if she succeeded, she could lay the groundwork to chase after her long-time rival, Centrim.

It was an opportunity that her father, the current chairman of Sylvester, who had become a toothless tiger, had created with the determination to risk his position.

She had not known that she would be held back like this, and she shouldn't have been.

'Let's not be swayed by joy and sorrow. A day is long.'

She had been allowed to accompany him for today.

The schedule had just begun.

Claire firmly hardened her weakening heart.

***

Several days had passed since the start of the City Government's request.

During that time, the contractors, including me, had diligently cleaned up the area around the negotiation site.

Even the Corrupted, which were discarded test subjects, had the instincts of their base animal.

As the massacre was carried out, they seemed to feel fear and disappeared.

Now, even the traces to chase them had become faint and hard to find.

In the meantime, I observed the group.

It was an investigation into the 'big event' that the black magician Mezaia had mentioned.

'Number 16 and Kedrak are not related.'

Number 16 had focused only on the mission since excluding me from accompanying him on the first day.

The blind swordsman Kedrak was a misanthrope who refused to interact with others.

It was unreasonable to judge him as a follower who would participate in the big event.

'Felixo is on hold.'

He wasn't friendly, but he didn't back out.

He often spoke to me, and it was the same for Mezaia.

It was unknown what they had talked about.

That's why he should be wary.

'If the Whispers of Mother Nature were activated, it would be solved quickly, but there's no news.'

The Whispers of Mother Nature was not a skill that could be activated at will.

I had looked for the conditions in various ways, but the conclusion was 'I don't know'.

'Anyway, it has already served its purpose just by providing a clue.'

Relying on chance is for amateurs.

Since I had obtained a big hint, the subsequent judgment was up to me.

"…?"

Then one day.

I felt a commotion.

It was a different direction from the completion of the negotiation site building construction getting closer.

It was a similar atmosphere to when the factory was preparing for the visit of a city councilor.

Just then, an employee approached me and spoke.

"The councilor is scheduled to visit for an inspection today."

As expected.

I let his words about paying attention to my behavior slide and recalled the information about the elf councilor, Giselle Willow.

'He has a picky and irritable personality.'

Elves as a race were like that, but he was particularly so because he was a councilor, an upper-class person.

I remembered a post where a user who had started as a city councilor's aide complained that it was killing him to please him.

The memory was vivid because he was not a newbie, but a user who belonged to the old-timer club.

'There's no need to build a friendship with Giselle.'

The primary cause of the breakdown of negotiations is Giselle's stubbornness.

But breaking his stubbornness was a useless effort.

Because the key was to solve the big event that would happen later.

What if he found out that there was a vicious person who had threatened his life for the purpose of starting a war?

Giselle would change his attitude.

His resentment would surpass the point of caring about his pride.

That was the behavior pattern of those with a so-called self-centered personality.

'But I'll have to pay attention to the escort.'

The survival of the head of the negotiation team is essential.

That's why I was worried.

'Giselle, due to his personality, will not keep a contractor around.'

He would consider a contractor as an errand boy to handle miscellaneous tasks, so he would entrust the escort to a mercenary.

If I couldn't be close, it would be too late after something happened.

'In the end, the key is to win over his close aides.'

There was no such thing as an invincible fortress.

If you can't conquer the person himself, you can just conquer his surroundings.

It wasn't his exclusive aide, whom he always nagged but remained loyal to.

There was an alienated protagonist in this negotiation.

A person who would be kicked out due to Giselle's cold treatment, but if I could win that person over in the early stages...

"He's here!"

As I was organizing my thoughts.

A car slid onto the unpaved road.

It was a long limousine that symbolized a high-ranking person.

Click!

The aide who got out of the passenger seat opened the back door.

First, a shoe, then as he stuck his head out, a sharp impression came into view.

'Giselle Willow.'

A noble with pointed ears.

Indeed, the tips of his ears were angular.

No one was impressed by his handsome face, which looked like it had come out of a magazine.

Because the City Government employees knew how difficult he was.

'...And one more person.'

Indeed, the person I was aiming for was proudly occupying a spot.

The face of the woman who got out with the driver's escort was not unfamiliar.

'Claire Sylvester.'

She was the unfortunate successor who was currently struggling to regain her stolen position.

***

"Claire Sylvester?"

"She's a businesswoman. Why did she come with the councilor?"

The only daughter of Sylvester.

She would later show her skills to be called a money-grubbing ghost, but for now, she was an unfortunate character whose downfall was scheduled.

"Didn't you hear? She said she would take a seat in this negotiation."

"Sylvester?"

"I don't know what the circumstances are, but they said they would cooperate fully. They would bear a certain portion of the losses from the negotiation."

"What do you mean you don't know? It's blatant. They're asking us to support them."

I quietly eavesdropped on the whispering employees.

As I knew from the development, she was not particularly welcomed.

The reaction of the City Government employees was this much.

The final boss, the councilor...

'He's treating her like she doesn't exist.'

She was a guest accompanying his schedule, but he didn't show any sign of moving with her.

Giselle, who had walked over alone, looked around the building.

"How much longer until completion?"

"Ah, yes. We're in the final stages. It should be finished in two days."

"Make sure you don't finish it sloppily just to meet the deadline."

"Of course. I will do my best."

"Any unusual matters during the construction process?"

"That is..."

Giselle fulfilled his duty as the head of the negotiation team.

He talked with the site manager, listened to the employees' grievances, and looked around the area to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.

He was different from the usual city councilors who were drunk on power.

His proud self-esteem came from the pride of having fulfilled his responsibilities.

The fact that he was in charge of the negotiation team was partly because he had been entrusted with a troublesome matter, but it was also a result of his behavior.

"..."

That's why it was an even more contrasting picture.

The councilor who was busy moving around and the woman who was following a step behind.

Claire, who was being completely ignored like a scarecrow, was pitiful.

It was praiseworthy that she didn't lose her smile even in the midst of that...

'She looks anxious.'

Her fingers, politely gathered in front of her waist, were scratching the back of her hand.

Her narrowed eyes were wandering, unable to find a place to rest.

'She must be frustrated because she can't find an opportunity to talk.'

Claire was betting her life on this meeting.

The reason other businesspeople did not step forward in the negotiations was not because they were incompetent.

It was a position where they could be blamed if things went wrong.

Of course, the fruit of success was tempting.

Enough for her, who had lost her position as a successor, to return in triumph.

'But if it continues like this, she will eventually fail.'

The discord with Giselle was at a standstill.

Their relationship did not improve, and she was even excluded from the negotiation site.

Thanks to that, her life was saved, so should it be called a blessing in disguise?

She probably wouldn't think so herself.

The price was high.

The chairmanship of Sylvester was replaced, and Claire lost her qualification as a successor.

The struggle to finally regain her stolen position was romantic, but the terrible game company did not arrange a happy ending for her.

Even if things went well, she would be the eternal number two.

The future where her Sylvester would rise was a scenario that I did not know of.

'Our interests align.'

If Sylvester supported me, I could lead the negotiations to a successful conclusion.

As they say, even a rotten fish is still a fish.

If the big event was Centrim's scheme, only Sylvester, the next largest force, could effectively check it.

'To do that, I need to seize an opportunity to make contact.'

I had prepared something to persuade her.

The existence of a black magician.

The key was to secure evidence that Centrim was involved.

If I could drop a hint so that she could find out for herself...

"…?"

Suddenly, I felt a strange concentration of gazes.

When I came to my senses, Claire, who had been far away, had gotten closer.

No, she was still getting closer.

To be precise, as Giselle Willow approached, she was also following.

"What's your name?"

It was a stiff voice.

Did he really ask me?

The aide was giving me a look from behind, telling me to answer quickly.

"Allen."

"No last name?"

"I'm an orphan."

"Aren't you just publicly claiming to be an orphan to hide your family relationships? For example, if you have a reason to hide your parents' identity."

"..."

Why is he picking a fight?

I was more bewildered than angry.

Giselle was not the type of person to talk to a stranger out of the blue.

The fact that he was still acting like a person without a companion proved this.

He would just ignore the race he disliked.

A contractor, who already had a bad reputation, was treated like an ant on the street.

But he looked at me directly.

The emotion reflected on his expressionless face was, surprisingly, conflict.

"...Aide."

"Yes, Councilor."

"Do you remember the conversation we had in the car earlier?"

"Are you talking about the selection?"

"Yes, let's go with this guy."

Selection?

The aide said with a bewildered expression.

"No, if you decide like this..."

"Aren't his skills guaranteed? I don't think we need to look any further."

"W-well, yes. I understand for now."

The story was concluded without any explanation to the person himself.

Giselle then patted my shoulder and said.

"I expect results."

The crowd blinked in astonishment.

Expectation, encouragement, physical contact.

None of them suited the noble with pointed ears.

I was also flustered.

I had planned to win over his surroundings since I couldn't get close to Giselle.

But to my surprise, he came to me himself.

Even encouraging me, which was unlike him.

What on earth had gotten into him...

'Ah.'

I remembered.

'The favor of the races of Mother Nature.'

The reward for absorbing the essence of the elixir and increasing my nature affinity.

'The effect is certain, isn't it?'

Enough to make me let out a hollow laugh.

(End of Chapter)