These two beside me are the support staff of my Community. Percher, who is on my right and Shirayuki-hime on my left."
"I've heard of them. The MizuHeibi[16] God and the reincarnation of Black Death. We of [Six Scars] have also played a part in the project of constructing the waterways."
"What did you say?" Shirayuki-hime gasped in surprise.
Porol sat himself down on the seat on the other end before laughing. Showing his sharp feral teeth.
"[Six Scars] is a Commerce Community. Do you think we would miss out on such a big scale construction when news of it reach our ears? Moreover it's also a supported project by one that is publicly acknowledged as the strongest [Floor Master], Shiroyasha, to provide for the lower levels. With the recent activity of Demon Lords, to have a 'peaceful and secure region' in this chaotic age is a huge advertisement. The price of land in the area will surely increase. I predict that the number of communities shifting to the East will also increase. Hence grabbing the opportunity, I've been having successful negotiations with the Communities that hold properties in the East…… It is with that in mind that you have sought me for negotiations right?"
Porol's face broke into a grin, watching Jin with eyes that were exceptionally white as his irises narrowed. Not replying immediately, Jin shifted his sitting posture and kept silent.
On the other hand, Porol's words had hit so close to home that it surprised Percher and Shirayukihime, causing them to turn and meet each other's eyes.
Having assumed that the other party would put forth all the disadvantages of the discussion, they were all ready to go on the defensive. None of them expected Porol to start off the negotiation by stating the value of [No Name]. And that would mean that this value must be part of the price to be given.
(So this means that…… his oratory skills in negotiations must have been seen as an important asset enough to be elected as the new leader.)
(Oh? This seems interesting…)
They could see that this youth wasn't the kind that would try to rush for benefits without much thought. Quietly chuckling in their hearts, they decided to observe the progress that had promised much entertainment for them, the audience.[17]
Jin let the silence fill the room for a moment before assuming his usual unreliable smile to respond. "Nn, That is definitely the case. You saw through it?"
"There's nothing much for me to see through. This level is definitely easy enough even for my dim witted elder brothers to know."
"You have elder brothers?"
"Of course I do. I'm ranked twenty-fifth in terms of age amongst my father's twenty five children. Other than Carol Onee-san, I still have many other Onii-sans and Onee-sans that have a large age gap between us. Am I right?"
He turned to pass the question at Carol.
Carol who was obviously not used to this kind of formal conferences could only nod stiffly in response.
Hearing Porol's words, Jin continued to put on a smile while making a mental note to be more alert.
"That's quite something. For you to have twenty-four elder brothers and sisters…… yet being able to be the leader when you are the youngest."
Though his face was smiling, Jin's words implied another subtle message.
Porol seemed to have picked it up as he showed his feral grin: "Oh, it isn't much. My family's tradition places much emphasis on capability. Whenever it comes around to the time when the leadership is transferred to the next generation, an examination elimination game will be played amongst the candidates. And based from the scores, the best would be appointed as the next leader…… The Gift game is quite something as well. In normal circumstances with such a competition between siblings, one wouldn't be surprised if it were to lead to internal strife but due to the nature of Gift Games, it eliminates their rights to protest or revolt."
"! "
To be able to compete with the other candidates within the community for the family business and not worry about the threat of internal strife.
In addition to that, all other strong candidates will be stripped of their rights to protest and revolt.
Jin pondered over these conditions that would be stated in the Game.
"A game that acquires the support of the Community……while making the ones that lost sign a contract that swears fealty to the winner. Even if the winner is a younger sibling……"
"------or the child of a concubine."
Porol's words were sharper than before, but it wasn't one that held any worries or guilt.
A son of a concubine, added to being the youngest child in the age rankings to rise up as the new leader that leads the whole Community. The youth that now sat at the table was able to obtain his victory with such unfavorable conditions against him.
Percher and Shirayuki-hime who were taking him lightly had revised their thoughts and now watched him with eyes that acknowledged a formidable enemy.
Seeming to toss those words in his mind around a few more times, Jin nodded his head thrice before smiling with respect in his eyes.
"That's….. That's really impressive. Since you were able to garner so much support from your community, you should be quite acquainted with the intricacies of negotiations right?"
"Who knows? I will leave it to you to judge me later when the negotiations are over."
A smug smile befitting his age appeared on Porol's face. Realizing that this topic was closed, Jin leaned closer to the table to start on the main topic.
"……I guess you would already have heard from your father that we of [No Name] are trying to create an Alliance emblem and are in search of Alliance partners."
"That I've heard of. The emblem and flag that is required for rising up to the sixth level, to put it bluntly you want to make use of the name of my Community to form your Alliance right? And so with that as the price, what can you provide my Community in return?"
Laughing arrogantly, Porol seemed to be enjoying this rare conference with another Community leader of a similar age and held hopes for the discussions to come.
Keeping his silence for half a beat, Jin steered the discussion in a totally new direction.
"I would like to veer a little to another topic…… I believe that [Draco Greif] will be proposing a merger with you."
As the words fell, the smile was wiped off Porol's face.
"……That joke was quite humorous. Why do you think that way?"
"Because the Alliance hasn't been able to utilize itself efficiently. By separating people into their racial ethnicities and then into respective Communities, then further segregating by the racial differences into the specialized tasks. Take for example a Community that specializes in combat while another specializes in defending the city. Utilizing the strength of each Community….. Specialization of tasks for the racial groups. Though it sounds nice to be placed in the specialization program, it isn't necessarily as good as it sounds. Any Community that tries to leave the Alliance will spell the end of the pooled strength, leaving it vulnerable to attacks. After all, a Gift Game cannot be won through sheer strength alone."
"……"
"Since the past till now, the relation of the Alliance was maintained though frequent meetings between the independent Communities. However, the [Draco Greif] Alliance will soon be rising to the fifth level and most probably be the [Floor Master] as well. To get a better close knitted cooperation between the Communities, rather than an Alliance that comprises of independent Communities that have to juggle with the many aspects to handle, there would be a need to become a more efficient Organization through the specialization of tasks……am I right to say so?"
Jin threw the question back to Porol.
Porol had mixed feelings of admiration and interest after listening to Jin's stand on the matter, though none of those made it to his facial expressions that maintained a calm demeanor.
(Hmm…… Seems like this isn't an information gathered from the other Community leaders.)
-----That's right. Jin's deductions were correct for the most parts, around 70%.
The [Draco Greif] Alliance's pending merger. About this matter, there was a gag order issued so he couldn't tell the truth but neither could he ignore the truth of Jin's words.