Hatem Goodspring was the master of the Goodsprings, one of the two families that were known as the two wings of the imperial family. He was so famous that everyone in the empire knew him, but actually, I didn't know much about him. I had only seen him once from a distance.
If I were to make a guess about this man based on the rumors I'd heard, he was someone with a bad reputation in a different way from the Iron-Blooded Lord. The Iron-Blooded Lord commanded overwhelming fame and infamy, while Hatem was said to be well-liked, respected, and even kind at first glance. Yet there were many unsettling rumors. Political rivals who openly opposed him simply vanished without a trace. The businesses he was involved in personally seemed to always prosper, while their competitors would go bankrupt or be swallowed up by other companies.
Of course, I knew nothing beyond that, even though the Goodsprings weren't a veiled family like the Badnikers. Simply put, I'd never had much interest in the Goodsprings. I'd never imagined that the day would come when I was alone with their family head, Hatem Goodspring.
"It is nice to meet you. I am Luan Badniker," I said. For a moment, there was no response.
There were chairs prepared in the reception room, but the man wasn't sitting down. He was standing in front of the window, touching the flowers in a vase. He heard my voice but made no move to turn around. He didn't seem genuinely distracted by the flowers, so I wondered if the battle of wills had already started. Still, I also needed time to observe this man up close, so it didn't matter.
Hatem Goodspring looked to be in his thirties at most, though his real age was probably twice that. His youthful appearance was amazing, but it wasn't too surprising when thinking about my father's appearance.
"Where is Delac?" he asked while still gazing at the flowers.
I replied, "The family head is currently away. I will be receiving you in his place. Please forgive me."
"You?"
"Yes. For now, I am the future family head," I said. He seemed to be questioning my qualifications, so I revealed my status.
Hatem finally stopped looking at the flowers and shifted his gaze to me. He was smiling widely, revealing his white teeth. For a moment, it was as if the whole room had brightened. He remarked, "Luan Badniker. You have been displaying amazing performances in various places. I found some of those stories quite interesting."
I glanced briefly at Hatem's hands. There were a few petals in them as if he had been handling the flowers roughly. I replied, "Thank you."
"Heero, Nero, Hector, and now you. It seems I have been completely defeated by Delac when it comes to raising children." Hatem smiled slightly as he said casually, "I also covet a talented person like you. What do you think? Even now, we could revive the old engagement with my daughter."
I hadn't expected Seren's name to come up here. I was inwardly unsettled, but I kept my composure and began, "I'm grateful that you think highly of me, but—"
"But?"
"That is a bit..." I trailed off.
Hatem let out a quiet laugh when he heard my words. However, it didn't feel like he was truly amused. It seemed more like a contrived laugh. He said, "Indeed. Compared to your current self, my daughter's value is too low. She will have to be put to a different use. Forgive me."
I couldn't figure out this man who could speak this way about his own flesh and blood. Unlike the Iron-Blooded Lord, who placed special value on his blood ties, Hatem seemed to judge his own children based solely on their value or usefulness.
He continued with a slight smile, "It is rare for Delac to break his promises. Has something happened to him? If so, I would like to send a greeting to him as a long-time friend."
I got goosebumps when I heard his caring voice. I thought to myself that if I hadn't known this man's true nature, I might've confessed everything on the spot. In any case, it was clear that he was the kind of man who was very cunning.
I just smiled slightly and said, "Thank you for those words, but it is a private family matter. In particular, the family head's whereabouts aren't something I can speak of."
"Really?"
"Still, it is a bit surprising."
"What is?"
I told him, "I rarely heard my father say anything about you. Well, it is understandable, since he is a man of few words."
I was really saying, You called yourself an old friend but the Iron-Blooded Lord never once mentioned you.
Perhaps because he was a smart man, Hatem was silent as if he'd immediately grasped my sarcasm. He examined me with unreadable eyes.
Strangely, my mind was very calm. I was well aware that this man couldn't be underestimated, but that was it.
Thinking about it, the people I had encountered in my life weren't inferior to this man. Putting aside non-standard beings such as my master, my seniors, and the demon kings, there was still the emperor, Chief Taon of the Hero Society, and my father, the Iron-Blooded Lord. None of them were inferior to Hatem at all.
"Hmm." Hatem mused quietly for a moment before nodding. "It seems there was a very unnecessary misunderstanding. I merely wish for my colleague's safety. The Iron-Blooded Lord is a hero who has represented the empire for a long time. If something were to befall him, it would be a crisis for the entire empire, not just the Badnikers."
I almost dug at my ears in confusion. Somehow, the word "crisis" sounded like "opportunity" to me. However, I naturally didn't show it and replied politely, "I understand. Thank you."
"There isn't much time, so let's talk about business now. You are the future family head, so you must at least have the authority to make decisions regarding the family's major matters on Delac's behalf, right?" Hatem asked.
"Most of them, yes."
"Yes. Then did you hear about why I am here today?"
"Yes."
I recalled what Assad had told me before I came here.
"To be blunt, the Badnikers and Goodsprings are enemies, but we often cooperate on missions as the twin wings defending the empire.
"This mission is one of these cases. The Iron-Blooded Knights and the Goodsprings' Chrysanthemum Knights were assigned to cooperate in suppressing the church and demonic beasts."
I hadn't gotten time to listen in detail, but in a nutshell, this meeting was meant to decide how the mission rewards would be distributed.
Assad had said that at least sixty percent of the rewards had to be secured. After all, It was the Iron-Blooded Knights who had overcome the church members and demonic beasts to kill the leader. However, Hatem probably didn't see it that way.
The number of people sent by the Goodsprings was higher, while the Badniker-led order of knights wasn't particularly large. One of the Iron-Blooded Lord's principles was to rely on a small, elite force. While knights themselves were elite fighters, the standards of the Iron-Blooded Lord were rather extreme. Naturally, the number of members was too small for the Iron-Blooded Knights to be considered a proper order of knights.
However, Hatem smiled slightly and said something unexpected. "Then I will make the discussion quick. First of all, let me ask. Do you have a percentage in mind?"
I pretended to think for a moment before saying, "If I calculate everything, I think we should receive at least seventy percent."
Assad had insisted that we had to secure sixty percent at least, or fifty if there was no choice, but I went big from the start. I figured it would give me a chance in the negotiations. However, something unexpected happened.
"I will follow your suggestion," Hatem said.
"Huh?" I looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Hatem smiled and continued, "Why are you so surprised? It was the Iron-Blooded Knight Commander Luke who killed the leader. It only makes sense for the Badnikers to take the larger share. Without his efforts, who knows how much more damage would have been done."
"Ah, yes."
That was true, but I was uneasy that he was agreeing so easily. I couldn't be fooled by that seemingly gentle exterior. He was an old fox who had been in the political arena for decades. This had to be a trap, which made me wonder what the real target was.
I wasn't used to talking to someone like him. Despite knowing how predictable I was acting, I was forced to face him head-on. I asked, "Is there anything else you wish for?"
"Ahaha. Your tone is a bit off. This isn't a transaction, it is a negotiation. There is nothing to be nervous about. It seems someone from your family has warned you about me, but there is no need to be so vigilant. It might have been different if Delac were here, but trying to handle a junior like you like that would be too unseemly." Hatem's expression and tone were so gentle that I almost believed his words for a moment.
I had to stay sharp. If Hatem was someone who could be reasonable, Assad wouldn't have gone to such lengths to repeatedly warn me. I had no chance of winning with words alone. That meant I needed to change the direction of my thinking.
I treated this conversation as not just an ordinary talk, but a sparring match. In a battle of words, Hatem was surely superior to me. The question was why he'd accepted my proposal to begin with.
He had to be deliberately showing weakness to induce carelessness. In that case, there were two tactics I could choose. I could either feign ignorance, or respond head-on.
I laughed inwardly. Based on my personality, I could only choose the second one. Thus, I said, "I am doing this because I am grateful for your concession. If something is given, something must be received in return. That is also the motto of the Badnikers."
"Is that so? Then I'll talk a bit more comfortably." Hatem finally smiled and revealed his true colors" "Actually, this operation is still ongoing. Both the Chrysanthemum and Iron-Blooded Knights are carrying out missions in a forbidden area. During the last operation, some aspects caught my attention."
"Caught your attention?"
"Some inefficient parts. I believe there needs to be a reassignment of the zones and adjustment of the number of personnel."
At this point, I was forced to inwardly click my tongue. This was the situation that Assad and I had been most worried about. There was nothing I could say if he went into the details of the operation, because I didn't know anything.
I would thus be forced to stay silent. Speaking rashly could lead to far greater losses. However, even silence wasn't the best idea. Eventually, the operation would be revised to suit Hatem Goodspring's preferences.
It was a bit dangerous. Adjusting the number of people and relocating the areas they were in charge of was a major issue. Without knowing precisely what threats were in each location, any hasty decision on my part could send people to their deaths.
"Regarding the operation in Ymir's corpse in the north, I have heard that many people have died. It must not be a pleasant memory to witness the death of fellow heroes," Hatem continued. He smiled slightly and said, "I understand your position. It would be embarrassing to leave everything to me, a Goodspring. It is natural. But let's say you argue here, clash with me, and secure the right to deploy personnel as a result. What if you make a mistake in a small part? Or what if you miss something? If the personnel of the Badnikers were deployed to the locations you insist on and that led to their deaths, it would be none other than you who caused their demise. Could you bear that responsibility?"
I felt pressure weighing me down; it was as if my hair was standing up. Perhaps this man had released an intangible pressure or infused mana in his voice.
Then that pressure disappeared. Hatem said with a gentle smile, "Your position is that of the future family head. There is no one who would truly blame you if you lose an argument with me today. I am also a man of conscience. The Goodsprings might secure a slight advantage during the deployment process, but I won't cross a line. I give you my word on that."
As expected, Hatem Goodspring was a person who was good at dealing with others using words. Even though I was promising among the young heroes, it would naturally be difficult for my mental strength to be flawless at this age. He'd targeted the part of me that any inexperienced hero would inevitably feel. He brought up responsibility, guilt, and the possibility of the death of my colleagues to pressure me.
Even though it had likely been an unexpected variable for Hatem to meet me instead of the Iron-Blooded Lord, he had still come up with a perfect plan to put pressure on me in that short amount of time. It was chilling to think that he'd come up with such a flawless plan while touching the flowers. He was a thorough opportunist.
The biggest problem was that following Hatem's suggestion could very well be the optimal solution.
Of course, that didn't mean I would meekly agree after being pressured like this. My rebellious spirit surged inside me.
Still, it was difficult to remain silent for long in this atmosphere, so I finally said something. "We can discuss adjustments to the personnel numbers here, but it is a bit difficult to decide on the area assignments."
"Why?"
"For accurate placement, we need accurate geographical information about the place. Excuse me, do you have a map?"
This was the extent of the resistance that I could manage. The key wasn't in the number of personnel, but the areas secured. So I could at least delay the first part until later.
"There is no map," Hatem answered. "Still, there is no need to worry."
He smiled and snapped his fingers. Blue lights appeared in the air and soon started to take on a translucent shape. A massive model of a location soon appeared before my eyes.
He explained, "This is where the joint operation is taking place. It can be said that there are almost no discrepancies from the actual location. How is it? Isn't this much more intuitive than a map?"
I watched the scene with a somewhat blank expression.
"There are a total of seventeen places to be decided, and they are classified according to location and risk. Right here—" Hatem began.
"This place," I said, rudely cutting him off.
It couldn't be helped. The shape of the mana model that Hatem had created was strangely familiar, making me think, Don't tell me?
Thinking about it, there had actually been many hints. This was a place where demonic beasts and church members were gathered together. It was a place dangerous enough that the Badnikers and Goodsprings were carrying out a joint mission. In addition, it was an area forbidden by the empire.
"What is the name of this place?" I asked with a dazed expression.
Hatem replied casually, "The Jewel Mountains. It is one of the four major forbidden areas of the empire."
I finally realized the origin of this joint operation.
Last winter, I'd been heading toward the Badnikers' main house and crossed the Jewel Mountains. Along the way, I got entangled with some church members. After defeating them, I acquired a few valuable items. Among them was a map with the base of the Dark Church members in the mountains.
Somehow, that map had ended up in the hands of the Iron-Blooded Lord. Now, the two families were dividing up the information from it to carry out this operation.
Once again, I looked at the Jewel Mountains made out of mana. As Hatem watched me with a somewhat suspicious gaze, I couldn't help smiling. This had turned the situation in my favor.
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