at kind of retribution will come if your actions are taken as traitorous?” (Rembrandt)

“!!!”

“Of course, if he wants to, I would teach him as much as he wants about stores. I will support him. But right now I don’t think there’s a need to for him. He doesn’t think much about the adventurers that die in the wasteland, but he is a merchant that wants to help the people that have fallen ill or have curse illness. He holds the ideal of selling good medicine at a low price. I think he is actually a plenty beneficial person. He doesn’t fit in a relationship where he holds the head of someone, and a pointlessly high-pressured personality doesn’t fit him either” (Rembrandt)

Zara was probably self-aware that the latter half was pointing out at himself, Zara’s expression turns into a bitter one.

“Are you saying business can be twisted by violence? Can such a crooked act continue? The church, the country, won’t forgive such an act” (Zara)

“Really? If they think that giving them freedom is more beneficial than binding them, it isn’t that impossible right? Supreme dragons sometimes come out from their nest and destroy villages; spirits rampage and block the sea and highways. These are things that happen every now and then. But do they go suppress them every time it happens? The only thing you would be able to do is pray, to wait for that threat to pass by. Because they understand that this way has less victims” (Rembrandt)

“It’s foolish to put those natural disasters at the same level as the Kuzunoha Company” (Zara)

“A suppression unit led by a level 920 was needed to defeat one supreme dragon. They have two people that surpass 1,500 and can be considered of possessing that same power. Don’t you think that’s not much different? Also, do you know? Just by being strong, when that strength is on a whole different dimension, it even brings growth to towns you know? That’s truly nice. Even when taking into account that my town is one that is easily influenced by that kind of effect” (Rembrandt)

Zara gulps at the words of Rembrandt.

Because the words that were coming out from his old friend that used gold and several tricks to climb higher, felt nothing but scary.

It is certainly true that if the Dragon Slayer Sofia is level 920, and the words of Rembrandt are true, Kuzunoha Company possesses power stronger than that of the strongest adventurer.

Even so, Zara is still clinging to his crumbling common sense.

“... Impossible. That’s impossible, Pat. If a single company practices such tyranny and egoism, the Goddess-sama would definitely bring divine judgment to it. Right?” (Zara)

“I wonder if even that divine judgment will be able to reach them, Zara. I... betted in the side that won’t reach. That’s why, no matter what anyone says, the Rembrandt Company will not stop supporting Kuzunoha Company. I don’t think the Goddess-sama would come out for a company, but even if that happens, I don’t have any intentions of changing my bet” (Rembrandt)

“Such arrogance is...” (Zara)

“If an ideal is able to stay practical even without changing its shape, arrogance is just fine. Lately, I have begun thinking this way. That blowing away all the people that only look at benefits and moving on is okay. At the end I was unable to do it, but if it’s Raidou, he will be able to. But well, I think his arrogance is brought by his ignorance though. That’s why I don’t meddle unnecessarily and simply watch as he does things the way he wants to” (Rembrandt)

“... That might not even be business anymore you know? No, it wouldn’t even be realistic” (Zara)

“Isn’t that fine? If an organization surpassing the border of business appears and cleanses this world of illness and curse diseases, it wouldn’t be bad to be part of such an unprecedented exploit. If he so wishes to, I will walk alongside. Zara, let me tell you this. He is not a man that would make people in his side suffer losses. In our words, he is a source of revenue that we would want to get no matter what we have to betray” (Rembrandt)

“Even if that means hyumans, no, even the Goddess herself?” (Zara)

“Yeah. What’s wrong? If gold is supremacy and profit is justice, no matter what you betray it is still ‘business’, right?” (Rembrandt)

“But Pat, that is...” (Zara)

“... Fukkuku. I know. I already know. If that were truly the case, it would be a lie to say that we haven’t profited from the war that way in these 20 years. That’s because people like us with capital and connections are able to profit like crazy from it. I am in a remote town in the wasteland where fighting for your life is usual. Not in Limia nor Gritonia. Well, the current Tsige has gained enough revenue to the point that it would be able to join the war and not fall down. That is our limit. Even if I talk all high-and-mighty, I don’t want to join hands and earn profits from war” (Rembrandt)

Rembrandt laughs.

Those vigorous words of his that one could catch a glimpse of slight madness, were laughed away by the person himself.

“That war... taught me that naivety won’t save anything. I am grateful for that” (Zara)

“That huh. You slipped there. ‘This’ war has not finished yet you know? Also, even if you say you are grateful with that face, the only thing I can get through it is hatred. Well, I am the same though. My older brother and his wife died in the war after all” (Rembrandt)

“I lost all of my relatives” (Zara)

“Right. We have desperately lived with the mindset that only gold and ourselves were the only reliable things” (Rembrandt)

“Yeah. That’s why, when I see someone like Raidou, I feel my own pettiness. Also, he gives a... I still can’t say for sure, but I feel like something is out of place. Not about his power or anything like that. A feeling as if he is a different race from us” (Zara)

“Out of place huh. I see. You also have your own way of thinking. Then I don’t mind. But if you are going to join, it’s better to make it fast. This is honest advice from a friend that has faced the same pain and walked the same path” (Rembrandt)

“You... I, still can’t approve of him that much” (Zara)

“Try coming to Tsige once. When you look at the state of affairs, your way of thinking will also change. Right, let’s have my daughters guide you. A big service there you know?” (Rembrandt)

The remote town that is dramatically changing. Remembering his own den, Rembrandt was unable to contain himself again and leaked out a laugh.

“Sif-chan huh. She became beautiful right” (Zara)

“Hoh~, I haven’t said a single word about Sif though? I see, I see. When you heard about big service, you remembered Sif who resembles the Lisa you fell in love with a long time ago, right? Yeah yeah, how stubborn you are Zara” (Rembrandt)

“Wa?! I-I wasn’t really...” (Zara)

“Nah, I won’t be holding strange suspicions on a close friend like you... is what you thought I would say?! You old lecher! The eyes you use to follow Lisa are already indecent you bastard!” (Rembrandt)

“Guo, Pat, what are you saying in such a critical situation?!” (Zara)

Rembrandt strangles Zara with words that one can’t tell if he was joking or being serious.

The people that were looking at it from afar showed slight signs of fun, so they probably thought those two were playing around.

No one aside from Rembrandt himself would know if he did so purposely or not.

After about 5 minutes.

Seeing the mercenaries return one after the other to the Guild and the unchanged state of Raidou, Zara leaked out a low “Impossible”.

Rembrandt, hearing that small and feeble voice of his, opened his mouth wide and laughed.

Raidou looked at this in surprise.