Chapter 42

"Nice to meet you. I'm Nicole Keller from the Plato Office. This is Maoren."

After introducing herself in just two sentences, she shook hands with Panoa and took her seat.

Panoa also naturally instructed her secretary to bring refreshments.

A brief silence ensued, and Nicole was the first to speak.

"Since we both know everything, let's get straight to the point."

"What do you mean?"

Despite Panoa's casual question, Nicole continued.

"The Plato Mercenary Office has decided to terminate all transactions with Siger Bang at the end of this quarter. At the same time, we will withdraw from all ongoing arms trafficking and discontinue our collaboration with the Scavengers."

"......"

Panoa's expression remained calm, undisturbed by Nicole's shocking statement.

In fact, what she was saying wasn't that surprising. Renock understood.

If the Plato Office, which had been dealing with Siger Bang and trafficking weapons, suddenly approached the Dyke Corporation, it was only natural that they had a specific purpose.

The important thing was what would happen next.

"You didn't come all the way to our headquarters just to say that, did you?"

"You're right."

Nicole readily agreed.

"We have a list of retailers who cooperated with us during the distribution process. If Dyke Corporation really intends to start a new business in the 40th district, it would be quite helpful."

"You want a deal."

The decision was made in an instant.

For Panoa, it wasn't a bad deal if it made the current operation smoother, and for the Plato Office, it was a way to clearly define their stance while passing on the list and gaining a small profit.

No one cared how the hundreds of personal information items would be used in the process.

After exchanging a certain amount of cash and a few items, Panoa slightly rose from her seat.

"I'll go inform the employees participating in the project. Please wait a moment, it might be inconvenient for you."

"......"

She left the office without waiting for Renock's response.

As soon as Panoa left, Maoren leaned forward and spoke.

"It's been a while, Mage. Do you remember me?"

"I never forget a face I've seen once."

Renock replied indifferently.

"Until I kill you myself."

"......I didn't expect you to be involved in this matter. It wasn't until I heard that Beck Clinton was struck by lightning and died that I recalled the name of the lightning mage who has been making a name for himself recently."

Despite the harsh response, Maoren's smile didn't waver.

The anger that filled his eyes when Renock first saw him was nowhere to be found.

Ironically, Renock thought this might be Maoren's greatest strength.

Nicole, who had been watching their conversation, suddenly spoke.

"Do you know why we came here today?"

"What do you mean?"

"I won't beat around the bush. We want to invite you to our office, Half-Mage."

Only then did Renock realize why they had come all the way to negotiate with Dyke Corporation.

"To be honest, the arms business isn't a major concern for our office. We only got involved due to the guidelines from our sponsors, but now that we see no future in it, it's time to pull out."

"Sponsors?"

"There are other companies interested in the outer districts, not just Dyke. It's only natural, isn't it?"

Nicole said this and calmly sipped her tea.

"......"

Plato Mercenary Office.

Rumors had spread about its abnormal financial power and rapid growth, suggesting it had backing. But Renock didn't expect them to reveal this to him so openly.

It seemed Nicole had come prepared for this meeting.

"I'm not interested in why you ended up in this line of work. I want your talent. That's all."

"This isn't a topic we should discuss here."

"If Panoa isn't a fool, she must have a rough idea why we came here. It's not something to worry about."

"......"

Her straightforward and bold nature.

She was the type who spoke her mind without reservation, but also the type who could bring up such a sensitive topic on the negotiating table without hesitation.

Dealing with such a person was almost a waste of time.

Renock crossed his legs, leaned back, and said indifferently.

"Should I tell you my honest thoughts?"

"......"

"Your words are something I've heard so often since I started working here. Now it's getting a bit tiresome."

Nicole remained silent at Renock's sharp response.

Freelancers and mercenaries might seem similar on the surface, but being affiliated with an office or not makes a significant difference.

Working in an organization with a boss like the office manager and working as a freelancer with only a broker as an intermediary are fundamentally different in how they receive jobs.

Of course, joining a mercenary office would make it easier to take on group jobs that a freelancer might struggle to get, but realistically, it wasn't a big issue for Renock.

"Maybe working on a one-off job together is fine, but joining your office doesn't sound appealing at all. Or can you offer me something like this on every job?"

Showing the ring of the Praice on his finger, Renock noticed Maoren beside him take a slight breath.

Given how many times it had protected Renock during the battle with Beck Clinton, its value was undeniable.

"I see."

Nicole, who had been listening to Renock, nodded.

"We underestimated your value, Half-Mage. I didn't expect you to receive such an artifact as payment. I thought we could hire a skilled mage at a lower price..."

"Hey, sis, you don't need to be that honest, do you..."

"Can't you tell? It's better to be honest with someone like this. It's better than trying to deceive them clumsily."

Maoren seemed to have more to say but closed his mouth at Nicole's sharp gaze.

It appeared that Maoren's opinion had significantly influenced the Plato Office's decision to recruit Renock.

When they first met, he seemed to be just acting, but he might have genuinely admired Renock's abilities.

Before Renock could finish his thoughts, Nicole picked up her handbag and stood up without hesitation.

"I'll take my leave for today. There will be other opportunities, I'm sure."

She must have finished all the necessary discussions with Panoa. She was a person who acted quickly.

As she was about to leave the office with Maoren, she turned her head as if remembering something.

"Oh, there's one more thing I should mention."

"What?"

"I don't know what you think of your current work, but Dyke Corporation's current approach isn't as clever as it seems."

"......"

"I can't say that jumping into the fray first is wrong, especially given the current turmoil with the autonomous region's agreement. However, the leader always carries significant risks."

Nicole said this with a chilling smile.

"Whether they will be the ones to take the seat Dyke has created is anyone's guess."

"That's a cliché."

But Renock replied indifferently, as if it didn't require much thought.

"I understand what you're trying to say, but isn't it too obvious?"

"......"

Nicole smiled meaningfully and then disappeared through the door. Renock sipped the remaining coffee, staring at the closed office door.

He had a rough idea of her intentions.

She probably wanted to shake him and gauge his reaction.

However, Renock, while disappointed with Dyke Corporation's handling of affairs, didn't think they were so incompetent.

Despite the fierce competition in the city, they were a giant corporation that had secured a foothold in the inner districts by crushing other competitors.

Their expansion into the 40th district was clumsy, but expanding their business was something they were familiar with, having grown steadily since their founding.

At least until the end of this project, it was right to believe in them.

Seeing Panoa return, Renock also stood up.

She wouldn't have called him just for the meeting with the Plato Mercenary Office.

Since he had just received an artifact from Enakfil, he knew he had to participate in some annoying tasks.

Presentation

"This is Ban, the newly recruited external consultant from our headquarters' planning team. Please give him a warm welcome!"

A loud cheer erupted as soon as the unknown host finished speaking.

"......"

At the back of the hall, filled with hundreds of people, Renock stood on a small stage, holding the microphone, lost in thought.

Although he had secured a clear response from Panoa regarding the compensation for this job, his mind was a mess because he wasn't properly prepared.

The host continued.

"Consultant Ban has proven his outstanding magical skills and excellent work abilities, forming a deep connection with our company. We believe he will be a good role model for the students from Lavathen University participating in today's practical visit. He will give a brief encouraging speech to conclude today's visit. Please give him a warm welcome!"

The response was overwhelmingly enthusiastic, despite the cliché words.

Lavathen University, a familiar term to Renock. He knew a professor who worked there.

It was rare to see a mage working in a company, so he understood the enthusiastic response.

Renock sighed and turned on the microphone after hearing the applause.

His magical talent calmed him even in such an unexpected situation.

He adapted a lesson he had heard about studies on Earth and delivered a brief, encouraging speech.

"......I hope you understand that talented mages like you are needed in various fields of society. Thank you."

He walked to the back of the hall as the applause grew even louder.

Other employees, surprised by his wireless microphone, politely took it from him.

They now understood the treatment Renock was receiving in the company.

A VIP cherished by the head of the planning team, involved in the company