NOVEL NEXT Chapter 168: Business Expenses, Round of Introductions and Silly Games
[Roja: Meet us in an hour at the central square near the portal.]
"How rude!" Alex grumbles, frowning at his screen. "This bitch knows we want something from her. Why else would we even contact her? We can probably pretend we just want to join a mission together, but Roja's case is special. She has more information than most players, and she hates to share it. She just tells you barely enough not to make a huge mistake. Maybe you can take care of the negotiation, Rishi. I already feel triggered."
"I agree. I hate these kinds of backstabbing snakes the most," Tereza chimes in. "She abandoned her team while they were at fault, but the selfishness she displayed can't be forgotten. Even if we enter into a contract with her, she'll probably look for loopholes and won't lift a finger more than she is contractually obligated to do. Since she also has access to more information than we do, she's dangerous. This time, you better be careful, Rishi."
"For these kinds of situations, a manipulator would be really useful. Although that probably wouldn't be allowed by the system, huh? Too bad," Menchi comments.
"I'd say Rishi probably fits the bill. If he could learn Nen, he'd be a manipulator without a doubt," Tereza jokes, giving Rishi a sly glance.
"Thank you for the compliment, Tereza. I have no doubts I'd be able to guess your Nen affinity as well," Rishi replies smoothly, the faintest smirk curling his lips.
Alex tries to suppress his laughter but fails miserably, snorting in amusement. Tereza immediately turns her glare toward him, her eyes promising retribution.
Alex gulps as she leans closer, whispering: "You will regret this."
Why me?! I just laughed! Alex complains inwardly, feeling unfairly targeted as usual.
The group walks toward the busier corners of the Realm, discussing strategy as they go.
"Just let me do the talking," Rishi says firmly, cutting through the banter. "But don't forget, this is especially important for you, Menchi, since this is all new to you: Do not reveal any items or skills we possess. We merely want to go to this particular world because Tereza needs to progress her skills, which is a known fact at this point, and because we want to do more team missions. I'll take care of the rest and decide how much we reveal. Although you are not stupid, you'd have to be a moron to just reveal your innate skills like that."
"..." Alex feels a sting in his chest, imagining his HP decreasing just a little.
Menchi gives him a thumbs up, her experience as a hunter kicking in. She knows when silence is the best option. Alex and Tereza agree as well, both relieved to leave the hassle of negotiation in Rishi's capable hands.
As they approach the central square, they spot Roja and Perlah waiting for them. Roja has her arms crossed, her stance rigid and soldier-like, exuding a no-nonsense attitude. Perlah, in contrast, seems more relaxed, even cheerful, as if she's genuinely happy to see them. Alex notes the stark difference in their body language and decides to pay closer attention. Reading people… It's worth picking up as a skill, he thinks. During school and work, I always liked observing others. Maybe it's time to put that habit to real use.
The two groups stand face to face, and the atmosphere is thick with awkward tension. The silence stretches on, almost suffocating, until Alex, unable to bear it any longer, blurts out the first thing that comes to mind:
"Oh hai!"
"..."
Rishi, Tereza, and Menchi immediately turn to stare at him. Roja and Perlah, on the other side, look equally baffled, Roja's eyebrows shooting up while Perlah's lips twitch, as though suppressing a laugh.
"..."
"... You guys are weird. Let's go to some cafe or restaurant or something. We can spend a few FC today since this is an important meeting," Alex says.
"Oh? Hello Alex, and thank you for the invitation. Your financial situation seems to have shifted. I also heard rumors about you and your lovely new supporter emptying the market and buying up any food-related item," Roja says politely, casually revealing she's keeping tabs on the Realm.
"It was not an invi—" Alex tries to respond, but before he can finish, Rishi interrupts.
"That sounds good, let's go," Rishi says, taking the lead.
Fuck you, I'm not paying, Alex thinks, barely able to contain himself.
The group heads toward a small cafe. Alex notes with some relief that the prices are thankfully minuscule. Drinks range between 2 and 5 FC, and food costs no more than 10 FC on average. Fine! I'm paying... just this once, he finally decides.
Once inside, the group is seated by a Realm worker. They settle down on two benches with a large table in between, thankfully nobody else nearby. Roja, Perlah, and Rishi sit on one side, while Alex is sandwiched between Tereza and Menchi on the other. The table, quite large, and the two groups, quite far away from each other.
Menchi enthusiastically orders five dishes and multiple drinks, stopping when she notices Alex's painful expression. "Okay, I'll stop. I can hear your veins popping, calm down," she says with a grin, without any guilt.
The rest order just a drink—except for Alex, who orders several menu items, prompting Tereza to smirk and redo her own order to match Alex's, adding one extra dish just to irritate him.
I swear… my urge to put her in her place is growing stronger day by day. She's getting a bit too arrogant and dominant for my taste. I should really man up and show her who's in charge, Alex thinks, his irritation increasing.
But before Alex can get too far down the mental rabbit hole, Tereza leans in, suddenly licking his ear and whispering, "I'll make it up to you."
The unexpected move derails Alex's fragile plans for revenge, leaving him red-faced and confused. He stares at her, flustered and unsure how to respond.
"You... have an interesting team," Roja comments, her expression a mix of amusement and mild disturbance, while Perlah blushes faintly, clearly taken aback by the display.
Alex sighs, his hopes for a peaceful and quiet meeting long gone. "Anyway, I guess I can at least introduce everyone," he begins. "Maybe you've heard of them already, but this is Tereza from the Czech Republic. Unlike her fellow countrymen, she's not welcoming, is a huge menace, and overall clearly psych—AH SHIT. Don't kick me!" Alex yelps, cutting himself off as Tereza lands a solid kick against his shin under the table.
"It was just a joke. Calm down!" Alex grumbles, glaring at her briefly before moving on. "Anyway, you'll probably recognize Menchi, right? A gourmet hunter from Hunter x Hunter and now my follower. And over there, the sharp-dressed guy is Rishi from India. He runs India's business world and collects castles on the side, just for fun."
Alex leans back in his seat, crossing his arms. "Since I've been responsible for holding this group together so far, Rishi will be doing the talking today to give me a much-needed break for once."
"..." Rishi smiles, clearly amused rather than offended, while Tereza wears a far more sinister smile, her eyes locked on Alex with thinly veiled menace.
"This young lady here is Perlah from Indonesia," Alex continues, pointing at her. "You might know her under the famous alias Kobo Kanaeru from Hololive."
Perlah raises an eyebrow but doesn't seem particularly fazed. "Sorry, I don't like Kobo," she says casually. "She's way too much of a Kusogaki for me. I like Moona."
Alex laughs, genuinely surprised by her response and knowledge about this topic. "Fair enough."
"And this," he gestures to Roja, "is Roja, also from India. She knows a lot of stuff but hates sharing any of it unless she absolutely has to."
"..." Roja smirks faintly, her lips twitching as if suppressing a laugh.
"This was, without a doubt, the worst round of introductions I've ever heard," Roja says dryly, though there's a faint trace of amusement in her tone. "At least you lightened the mood a little. Thank you for that, though it seems to have come at a personal cost." Her eyes dart to Tereza, who has wrapped one arm around Alex's neck, her fingers beginning to tremble as they lightly squeeze.
Alex, trying to pry her hand off, mutters under his breath, I was only trying to lighten the mood. Why do you always have to get so offended? Seriously, stop strangling me already!
"So, you want to join us on our upcoming mission? Why exactly?" Roja continues, her tone businesslike as she observes Alex's plight with thinly veiled amusement.
Rishi smoothly steps in, taking over as planned. "We believe it's in both of our interests," he begins, his calm and composed demeanor immediately changing the tone of the conversation. "Mostly, we want to stay in a group; also, we have the huge advantage that Tereza has a certain skill that will give us numerous benefits in this world," Rishi explains, his delivery calm and calculated.
The food and drinks arrive, filling the table thanks to the excessive orders made by Menchi, Tereza, and Alex.
"To a good cooperation," Alex says, lifting his glass. The group clinks their cups together, though the atmosphere remains slightly tense.
While Alex, Tereza, and Menchi dig into the dishes before them, Rishi and Roja continue hashing out the details of their arrangement. The discussion turns highly technical, with Roja bringing up various contingencies and potential issues, prompting Rishi to counter with airtight safeguards and suggestions for contracts.
Alex, listening with half an ear, finds the whole thing tedious. Ugh, this is like a work meeting or something. Are we planning a merger? I know it's necessary, but I just hate these kinds of things, he grumbles inwardly.
To his surprise, Perlah joins the conversation with enthusiasm, offering insightful suggestions from time to time. Alex raises an eyebrow, impressed with her attentiveness, guess she's another smart one; better remember that.
Deciding that the negotiation is better left to people who care, Alex shifts his focus back to the table. His eyes land on two steak dishes: one a perfectly cooked, massive cut of steak glistening with juices, the other one with two smaller, overcooked, and dry-looking pieces of meat.
Tereza, of course, reaches for the superior steak. Alex, seeing an opportunity, casually snatches it first and begins cutting into it with exaggerated satisfaction.
He takes a bite, savoring the perfectly cooked meat as the juices burst onto his tongue. Hehe, gotcha this time. That's for constantly trying to one-up me. This steak is absolutely incredible, and I can see the frustration on your face, this will teach her not to mess with me, Alex thinks, feeling absurdly triumphant over this small and petty victory.
Tereza stares at him with narrowed eyes, her lips curling into a dangerous smile. "Enjoying yourself, Alex?" she asks sweetly, though her tone carries an undercurrent of menace.
"Very much so, thank you, but please don't distract me; this is a serious conversation, no time for your silly games," Alex replies, grinning smugly and taking another exaggerated bite.
------------------------------
A/N: Always thankful for Power Stones, Comments and Reviews. Thank you for reading!
If you are interested, then please support me at patreon.com/FRWriter
Only with your help can I keep writing this story at this pace!
45+ Early chapters available - I will still release on WN daily!