GILF Hunter

Chapter 381 Method

The appointed time. Ian stood before the mansion gates with Airi.

’Don’t tremble so much.’

’I-I’m n-not...’

Airi, standing beside him, was vibrating visibly.

A high-ranking military officer was essentially a person of power in the city. It seemed she was far more nervous compared to meeting regular people.

The mansion gates opened, and Airi’s trembling did not stop until they met Leona.

She could barely even remember how she walked inside and stood before Leona.

’I-I-I am Airi...’

Hearing Airi’s quite impressive self-introduction, Leona asked back with a faint smile.

’A-A-Airi?’

’I am Airi!’

It was only after several deep breaths that Airi could properly re-introduce her name.

Having finished the greeting, Airi finally sat down next to Ian.

Once the introduction of the party was over, Ian delivered the gift he had brought to Leona.

’We’re meeting for work, there’s no need to bring something every time you come.’

’A guest of our mercenary group wanted to pass this along.’

Inside the box Ian delivered was an accessory made of small jewels.

Though small in size, it was something crafted with clearly superior skill at a glance.

Leona recognized Elena’s small signature written on the box and spoke to Ian.

’I heard news that Elena had come here. It seems she’s doing well.’

’She seems very interested in materials coming out of the Labyrinth lately.’

’Please convey my gratitude.’

Due to her profession as a jeweler, Elena was a figure more famous among the upper class and nobility than among ordinary people.

Leona carefully closed the box.

’Speaking of which, I heard something worth congratulating has happened to you as well.’

’Something worth congratulating?’

’I heard a hot spring burst forth this time.’

To say it was recent, it was something that happened just yesterday.

The speed at which rumors spread was truly terrifyingly fast. Then again, with a hot spring bursting in the middle of the city, there wouldn’t be anyone who wasn’t curious.

’...Has the rumor spread that much already?’

’Probably the whole city knows by now. People looking to buy the land will be lining up soon.’

’In fact, several people have already come since this morning.’

People offering twice or thrice the price of the land Ian purchased had come, but it was out of the question.

Leona casually asked Ian, pretending not to be very interested.

Since a hot spring appearing in the middle of a city was not something that could be explained by general luck, everyone naturally thought of that first.

’...Do you happen to have a close precognitive mage?’

’I don’t...’

Leona somehow looked a bit disappointed.

Everyone called precognitive mages scammers everywhere, but it seemed the expectation for a potentially real precognition was unavoidable.

’Well, enough with the idle talk. Shall we discuss this?’

The monster data Ian brought was already sitting on Leona’s desk.

A new species of monster from the Labyrinth. It was the same as last time.

Leona looked at the data she had reviewed several times throughout the night with a fed-up face.

If Ian hadn’t brought the information in advance back then, it was impossible to even properly calculate how much damage would have occurred.

The information Ian brought from the Labyrinth was sufficiently reliable.

Thus, for Leona as well, there was a desire to grant Ian’s request as much as possible.

However, the scale that had to be undertaken for the current matter was different from the matter back then. It was a problem for which even Leona could not readily give a firm answer to help.

’This matter isn’t something that can be decided as easily as last time. Is this something that cannot be stopped without doing it this way?’

’I won’t say it’s the only way, but.’

In actual combat, one cannot guarantee what variables will occur. Even if one doesn’t prepare, it’s not like there’s no possibility of luckily blocking it somehow.

Ian was merely using his past experience to minimize variables as much as possible and proposing a way to increase the probability.

’I am proposing the method to overcome this with the least amount of damage.’

’The least amount of damage...’

Leona muttered upon hearing Ian’s words.

’Conversely, does that mean failing to follow this will result in great damage?’

’There’s that possibility too.’

It was an irresponsible statement.

Because he wasn’t the one taking responsibility. That wasn’t Ian’s job.

Leona, who was in a position closer to being responsible than Ian, was silent for a long time.

Biting the tip of her pen and staring down at it for a while, Leona asked Ian quietly.

’You must know that this is a difficult task. However, there is one problem with your proposal.’

The plan Ian made itself... one would have to analyze it further to know, but it was likely perfect. Because it had been that way until now.

The problem lay in a slightly more external part.

’Even if this plan succeeds, there is no benefit for our side. Since the responsibility lies with the Mayor, the achievement conversely returns to the Mayor as well. If we persuade the Mayor to execute your plan and successfully block the crisis, it will actually result in restoring the current Mayor’s credibility and approval rating.’

The current Mayor was in a competitive relationship with the candidate Leona supported.

If they persuaded the Mayor to move the defense forces and successfully blocked the invasion, as a result, it was an act that benefited the Mayor, her competitor.

Leona stared at Ian quietly as if waiting for an answer.

Ian opened his mouth as if the answer was already decided, without much deliberation.

’Then I suppose I should deliver this

proposal directly to the Mayor as it is.’

’You’d flip your palm overnight?’

’Isn’t this place originally rampant with such things.

It was because they were coincidentally headed in the same direction. They were merely traveling together because they were helpful to each other; they were in a relationship where they could split at any time if their paths diverged.

Not just Ian and them, but most political cooperative relationships in this city were like that.

Ian, in turn, questioned Leona.

’When we talked last time, Leona, you said you started this because you couldn’t leave the city in the hands of the unqualified.’

’Did I say such things? I must have been drunk and drowning in sentiment.’

’If you were sincere about not being able to work under those unqualified to handle the city. Leona, you should go that way as well.’

’Are you telling me to defect together? Hahaha.’

He had surely promised that he would be different from those merchants who weighed citizens’ lives and money together. If she rejected this for the reason that there was no profit, in the end, she was doing the same thing.

Leona emptied the half-full glass in one go.

’Fine. You said you were Airi?’

’Y-Yes!’

Is it right for me to be sitting in this spot.

Airi, who was sitting quietly while thinking such thoughts, answered in surprise when her name was suddenly called.

’I’ve read the exploration log. You played a big part in the Labyrinth exploration, and it’s planned for you to take on a big role this time as well?’

’I, I don’t know anything...’

For Airi, there was still nothing she knew. Before the flustered Airi could say anything, Ian and Leona continued the conversation on their own.

’Is that equipment you requested all intended for Airi to use? With that level of equipment, one could place a high-ranking mage on the wall as a main force. Can she play a role greater than that?’

’She will be able to perform sufficiently.’

Airi could not understand why Ian nodded so confidently.

＊ ＊ ＊

After finishing the talk and Ian and Airi had left.

Leona entered the room right next to where she had just greeted her guests.

Someone was already sitting in the room waiting for Leona.

’Has Captain Ian returned?’

’Yes. He said he would let us know the results by letter.’

The one in that room was the influential next candidate aiming for the city’s Mayor position. A person named Lucia.

’How was he?’

’You’ve found a human who doesn’t seem like a mercenary.’

This place, attached right next to the room where Leona greeted guests, had very thin walls. To the point that the conversation in the next room could be heard clearly.

Lucia had eavesdropped on the conversation going back and forth in the next room from beginning to end.

’Is it because he’s a fellow who doesn’t seem like a soldier? He finds people like himself somewhere.’

’Oh boy. You said you hated the mercenary I introduced last time because he was too much of a mercenary.’

Leona plopped down in the seat opposite Lucia.

’So. What will you do, big sister?’

’...I’ll meet the Mayor at the next meeting and talk. Even that side won’t be able to refuse in the end.’

Lucia replied after a moment of deliberation to Leona’s question.

The city’s citizens were still trembling in anxiety. Because of what happened during the last invasion, the Mayor’s qualities were currently being doubted as to whether he could properly protect this city.

In order for the current Mayor to overcome that, he had no choice but to show some major action.

If it were a peaceful time, he naturally wouldn’t have complied, but in a rapidly changing situation like now, appearing conservative would be a big minus.

The Mayor ultimately has no choice but to accept this plan.

’Then it will eventually become that side’s achievement. Once the anxiety of the city defense is resolved, that side’s approval rating will recover to some extent again. That man earns money remarkably well, after all.’

’That can be solved easily.’

’How?’

’We just have to make this matter something that is the achievement of neither me nor the Mayor.’

Lucia, receiving Leona’s question, tapped the operation plan for this time lying on the table with her finger.

’Shouldn’t a hero appear in times of crisis?’

If he doesn’t want to be labeled as a pathetic person in power trying to snatch a hero’s achievement from the citizens, even that side will have no choice but to back down quietly.