Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter Dreams of a Hero ~

Chapter75，Part1: 1 - Negotiation ②

Chapter 75 Negotiation ②

Part 1

His suspicious demeanor caused Hay to be confused.

Infinite Variety looks at Arnold with a serious look.

Arnold has a long history of being a Hunter.

A Treasure Hunter is a job that can’t be done only by having a high combat ability.

Of course, needless to say, combat ability is most necessary, but the trials Hunters must pass through are not only Shrines and Monsters.

In order to succeed as a Hunter, you need the bargaining ability to properly buy and sell Relics or monster materials obtained in a Shrine, high communication skills are required to make a connection with influential people. In “Fallen Mist (Thunder Dragon’s Mist)”, the vice-leader Hay is the one who is mainly in charge of those jobs but by interacting with dozens upon dozens of merchants and nobles, Arnold is becoming more and more familiar with it.

My intuition is telling me, that aloof man in front of my eye… “Infinite Variety” is lying.

“A bit, dangerous?”

Arnold curves his eyebrow and start to stares at him, “Infinite Variety” slightly withdraws.

While observing his behavior, Arnold frown.

Utilization is restricted by the law. It is a bit dangerous. This kind of thing isn’t something you would say when you are trying to buy something in a negotiation.

Then why are you trying to buy it, is the question you can easily guessed will be ask next and you would already have an answer for it.

According to the information Hay investigated, “Infinite Variety” is an excellent tactician… He seems to have an eye that can see through everything.

Why would such “Infinite Variety” initiate such a poor negotiation technique?

Those words probably have a hidden intent on them.

To Arnold who went silent, the man in front of him was looking at him as if he was judging his ability.

““Infinite Variety”, just, now, you made a lie?”

“Huh!?”

“A bit dangerous. I should get rid of it, eh. It was well thought. Are you… trying to gauge me?”

As he was shaking, cold sweat drips down from Infinite Variety’s cheek. It is a wonderful acting. Even with Arnold pair of eyes, he can only see him as if he really was agitated.

Right. 『Dangerous』. 『It is better to get rid of it』.

The words of “Infinite Variety”, aren’t they like as if he doesn’t want Arnold to sell the Relic.

At that time, Arnold’s mind has attained enlightenment. All the pieces of the puzzle are now connected.

Did you think, just because I am Level 7, I am a fool?

Sytry who was next to him is smiling but her eyes harbor a cold light as if she was looking at a bug. Even if you cover it with a smiling face, you can’t hide the light in the back of your eyes from Arnold.

Next to Arnold, Hay look up terrifyingly at his behavior.

“Arnold-san?”

“…… Fine, let’s sell it. Let’s see… eight million Gils… No, ten million Gils. I am not going to lose. You will at least pay this much!”

It is expensive for that creepy mask but if you are a High-Level Hunters you can easily pay such an amount.

“Infinite Variety” is surprise. Sytry was looking at Arnold with wide open eyes as if she has attained the truth.

Arnold’s companions are buzzing, probably because his response was unexpected. However, all the decision-making power of “Fallen Mist” lies with the Leader Arnold. If they sell the flesh mask for ten million Gils, they could have a feast.

Hay next to Arnold looks unhappy.

“Arnold-san, is this fine?”

“Aaah. Because the Relics seems to be 『A bit dangerous』.”

To Arnold who warps his lips, he makes an intimidating smile, “Infinite Variety” shook his shoulder.

“Did you think that I will ride on your provocation and I wouldn’t sell it to you? …Funn. Indeed, we have been done in by that woman in your party. But that matter and this story is different. For the time being, we will think of it as if it never happened.”

“…? Ah that, well that… My apology.”

As if he was perplexed “Infinite Variety” scratches his cheek.

In the first place, a Level 8, High-Level Hunter is directly coming for the negotiation to get a Relic which is just a bit dangerous, is already too unnatural.

Infinite Variety change of expression is 『Too natural』, this is why it is so unnatural. This was his skills to give information.

Word mixed with lies. Our relationship.

Recalling the appraisal request we did for that dreadful mask of flesh that makes you feel physiologically repulsed, Arnold felt something cold in his spine for the first time in a while.

I breath slowly and look at Cry Andrich 『Eyes』 when he seems to appear troubled.

The eyes can say things the mouth doesn’t, only a puzzled expression could be felt from his black iris which seems to be staring in the darkness. I can’t read the emotions hidden behind them.

But… Why did he come out for such an unnatural negotiation? The situation is a bit complicated but the intention of the man in front of me is clear if I take the position of another person and think calmly.

It is most likely that fleshed mask is… not just 『a bit』 but on the contrary, dangerous enough for a Level 8 Hunter to retrieve it.

And “Infinite Variety”, for whatever reason, intends to 『shove it』 to Arnold and his friends. No, he probably changed his strategy in 『the middle of it』.

I couldn’t find a lie in his word when he said that it was an illegal treasure.

And, with “Infinite Variety’s” personality that Hay looked into.

There is only one conclusion possible.

Infinite Variety coincidentally found an extremely dangerous Relic that was going to be auctioned off and directly engages in the negotiation with the owners to get it before it reaches the hands of someone else who doesn’t know anything about it.

His purpose is probably… To prevent the utilization of the Relic and ensure of its disposal.

According to Hay’s research, until now “Infinite Variety” has solved many incidents in this city. It is a naive story but there is always a man who will do something about it even if that doesn’t bring him any advantages.

However, this is when an unexpected problem occurred. The other party of the negotiation was perchance a party that they just have a feud with.

It is fatal for a Treasure Hunter to lose face. The Hunters around will underestimate you and clients can sometimes evaluated it as you being unreliable.

In fact, even for Arnold, when he remembers about that time, his intestines are boiling over. For Hunters, sometimes it is better to save face than getting money.

After seeing at the first glance that the negotiations wasn’t going to go through, “Infinite Variety” immediately change his stratagem.

Yes. By using questionable behavior and words, he wanted to strongly agitate Arnold and his friends to force me to withdraw it from the auction.

The purpose of the Infinite Variety is to prevent the use of the Relic… In a nutshell, he wanted to prevent it from being used in the unlikely event that it is auctioned to a noble or a merchant who likes unusual things… Or even to a criminal.

In other word, it is the best to keep it for himself, but he can also achieve his purpose if Arnold and his friends withdraw it from the auction.

A dangerous Relic. I should get rid of it.

If someone told you that, it is human logic that you don’t want to let it go. It is even more true if it come from your nemesis.

But… Arnold won’t be deceived by it.

“Are you underestimating… me? Do you think something like that will excite me so much that I will want to keep the Relic? Your purpose is… To prevent the Relic from getting into other people hands, right?”

“Eh…?”

An easy-to-understand bluff. Certainly, Arnold is a Hunter at a Lower-Level, if I didn’t swallow my anger from that day, I might have listened to his word and canceled its auction.

I may have thought that it is a Relic that a Level 8 would want so much to the point he needs to lie.

But if you think calmly, what would Arnold and his friends benefit after canceling its auction?

That Relic is something terrible to look at. I don’t think any Hunter with a slight cautious would wear it on his face.

It is hard to imagine Arnold wearing that mask and if a companion tries to wear it, we will stop him with all our might.

I have heard that it is a dangerous Relic so I would have no choice but to keep it under strict guard and bear a meaningless burden.

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

Cry just turn Arnold head upside down just by being himself. What a beautiful masterplan Cry is doing in Arnold head, you can truly expect that from a Level 8 XD

So he think that Cry wanted to buy the mask to protect the city and not let criminal use it but change his plan because he can let Arnold do this!

But Cry isn’t any regular Level 8, so his thought is soooooooooooooo wrong XDDDDD

How will this misunderstanding continue I am sooo excited!

Tchao à plus!