Episode 7: Executive Meeting

 

◇

 

In a certain place in the royal capital stands the headquarters of the 'Blade of the Black Mist.'

 

This building, taller and more luxurious than the surrounding structures, housed a room where the executives of the clan were gathered.

 

Nine chairs were arranged around a round table.

 

All eleven members, except for the clan master of the 'Blade of the Black Mist,' had already taken their seats.

 

Moreover, the room’s curtains were tightly closed, preventing any view from the outside.

 

"Ah... what a waste of effort."

 

"Hmm? What's wrong? Weren't you supposed to have a promising rookie today?"

 

As soon as Raven took his seat with a frustrated sigh, Lugus Blood, seated next to him, responded.

 

Lugus was the number one swordsman of the 'Blade of the Black Mist.' Although Raven was not small, standing next to the over two-meter-tall giant Lugus made him look like a child.

 

"...It's about that. Ah... we got stuck with a piece of trash."

 

"Wasn't it the healer who graduated top of his class from the Wells Adventurer Academy? Were you lied to?"

 

"No... it’s not that. The student's birthday was late, so when we did the attribute test now, it turns out he's 'attribute-less.' I've never heard of 'attribute-less' before. There's no way we could hire someone like that. On top of that, he whined and demanded money."

 

When Raven banged the table, Lugus burst out laughing.

 

"Hehe, that was unfortunate. Well, it's like an accident. Don't worry about it."

 

Lugus patted Raven on the back.

 

"Damn it, it must be nice not being in charge of recruitment..."

 

In the 'Blade of the Black Mist,' younger executives were usually in charge of recruitment.

 

By the way, Lugus was the previous recruitment officer.

 

"Don’t say that. There are those who are too unreliable to be entrusted with the job."

 

As Lugus spoke, he glanced at the silver-haired girl sitting opposite him.

 

The girl, who sat directly across the round table from Raven and Lugus, was Lisha Gracia. She was eighteen years old.

 

A small frame with a large chest. At first glance, she looked like an ordinary beautiful girl, but she was one of the top-class magicians within the 'Blade of the Black Mist.'

 

In the 'Blade of the Black Mist,' the members’ ranks were structured like a pyramid. The clan master was at the top, followed by the squad leaders who oversaw the party leaders, and then the party leaders, down to the lowest members.

 

Only those with both skill and charisma could rise through the ranks.

 

In fact, those who climbed to the executive level in the 'Blade of the Black Mist' were usually graduates with excellent records from prestigious adventurer schools who joined the clan and built their careers.

 

Lisha, however, became an adventurer without attending any school, transferred between clans, and joined the 'Blade of the Black Mist.' From there, she quickly rose to the executive level due to her overwhelming skills.

 

However, her personality was quite a challenge, and despite being young, Lisha was deliberately not given the recruitment role.

 

"Isn’t she too serious?"

 

"Yeah, that. She was supposed to just complete the assigned tasks, but she said 'I need to eliminate the root cause' and went on to subdue the area boss as well. It's fine to value the pride of an adventurer, but what’s the point of taking on extra work?"

 

"Well, as long as it's completed within the stipulated days, the clan has no complaints..."

 

"But if she were in charge of recruitment, she'd only gather fools who don't understand the adult world's intricacies. Think about us who would have to deal with those weird subordinates."

 

Imagining such a hellish scenario, Raven sighed deeply.

 

"Well... she’s still young. She’ll adapt eventually."

 

"I hope so. By the way, do you know what today's meeting is about?"

 

"Nope? But it's rare. It's said to be a big discussion that will determine the future of the clan..."

 

The upcoming meeting was top secret even within the clan. Officially, it was an annual budget meeting. While the budget would also be discussed, everyone present understood that this was just a formality.

 

Since the exact details had not been disclosed to the executives, the room was filled with an uneasy atmosphere.

 

"Ah, the master has arrived!"

 

As the clan master, Gildo Xenofin, entered the room, the executives stood up in unison and respectfully bowed.

 

Gildo was the founder of the 'Blade of the Black Mist,' who had grown a small clan into the largest in the Mist Kingdom over thirty years.

 

At first glance, he looked like an ordinary elderly man with white hair and a white beard, but his sharp gaze, shown occasionally, had an intimidating presence that even the executive adventurers found startling.

 

"Mm, everyone is here. Very well, relax."

 

After confirming that all the executives were gathered, Gildo sat down and instructed the others to do the same.

 

"Now then, the reason I gathered you all here today is to discuss something important."

 

Gildo spoke with a dramatic tone.

 

Tension ran through the executives.

 

After clearing his throat, Gildo continued with his explanation.