Episode 356: Interlude (A Certain Mine)
“I’m proposing an equal negotiation.”
“…Can I believe that?”
The man sent as a negotiator.
The leader of the rebellion told him that if he failed, there would be nothing left but all-out war. That was how Plan, the vice-leader of the Lenrebetta Mine miners, had been entrusted with everything.
“Caution is natural. I understand that the responses up until now have been extremely problematic. However, the source of that has been strung up by your own hands. Therefore, we are asking you to reconsider and negotiate with us.”
“…I can tell that you’re different from those bastards. But even so, I can’t believe it. Why, of all people, is a little girl like you the negotiator…?”
And then.
The miners of this mine, finally united by the extremely poor environment, defeated the nobles and their party who had been sent as supervisors, and strung them all up outside the town.
Of course, they hadn’t thought about what would happen after that.
They had been forced to work so hard that they didn’t even have the余裕 to think about such things.
They killed the supervisors almost impulsively, and with that momentum, they rushed to the surface and beat up everyone involved.
And the day after the rebellion, this girl and the eerie army she led came forward as negotiators.
“My appearance is irrelevant in this situation. I am confirming whether you are willing to talk to us.”
Plan thought.
It would be easy to underestimate her as a girl.
However, the girl in front of him was wearing ominous armor that looked heavy, the likes of which he had never seen before. Moreover, she had walked all the way to the top of the small hill designated as the negotiation site on her own.
He fully understood that she was not an ordinary being.
Perhaps, if men other than Plan had been present at this meeting, it would have been very troublesome. After all, there were only men there who seemed to be made of muscle from head to toe.
That was also why only Plan had gone as the negotiator.
“…Alright, alright. So, what do we start with? I’ll talk.”
Even so.
Plan and the other men understood that this girl, who looked no older than his beloved daughter, held their fate in her hands.
This mining town was now completely surrounded by an unknown Monster, or Golem, or some kind of giant spider-like Monster.
According to the girl in front of him, it was a foreign army called ＜Paraiso＞.
There was no doubt that the rebels had no way out.
“Let’s see. First, we’ll start by gathering information about the working conditions. From there, we’ll calculate the unpaid wages and add late payment fees. If both parties agree, we’ll pay those wages. Of course, we’ll cover all living supplies and food during the negotiations. You can take this as our sincerity towards you.”
Plan’s eyes widened at the girl’s words.
Although there were some words he had never heard before, she said that she would pay them wages.
“…What…are you saying…?”
“Hmm… Right, let me explain the premise. We were purchasing the ore produced from this mine from the Piata Empire, Buttran territory, but—”
And then.
The negotiations continued in various ways, and at this meeting, where even the future salary system was determined, Plan returned to town with a bewildered look on his face.
And immediately after that, the men cheered at the mountain of living supplies and food that had been provided as promised.
By the way, it took less than three days for the men to be beaten down and quieted by the newly sent supervisor girls.
◇◇◇◇
“Tomorrow is a rest day!”
“Nice. Mine’s in three days…”
“You were playing with the girls until yesterday!! …So, were there any good ones?”
“Heh. That’s for me to know and you to find out. …The new girl who came on the day before yesterday’s flight was the best.”
Rough men working in the mine.
Originally, they should have been hated as a combination of uncleanliness, lack of money, and violence.
However, the miners of this Lenrebetta mining town were different.
Daily bathing was recommended, sufficient cash was provided, and those who used violence were corrected with greater violence.
Inexpensive private rooms were provided in the dormitory, and even a cafeteria dedicated to the miners was operated.
Working hours were set at nine hours, including a lunch break, and they were strictly ordered to keep to the time unless an accident occurred.
And this dreamlike working environment was realized by a group calling themselves ＜Paraiso＞, who effectively ruled this land.
Several times, bandits had attacked, or private soldiers of some noble had come, but ＜Paraiso＞ and the Golems they controlled had repelled them all.
And since they were allowed to be stationed by the nobles of the territory where the mine was located, ＜Paraiso＞ effectively owned the mine.
『Today’s results: 43 tons of copper ore. The trend has been steadily increasing for the past month. Thank you for everyone’s hard work.』
Furthermore.
A black monolith installed by ＜Paraiso＞ was in command of this land.
This monolith read out the results of the day in the evening and displayed any notices.
This monolith, called ＜Monolith＞, controlled the Lenrebetta Mine.
“Haaah!? What the hell is this?!”
A drunken man staggered in front of the Monolith.
Apparently, he was one of the new miners who had arrived on today’s flight.
The men who seemed to be in the same group were making a fuss.
They seemed to have become quite emboldened by being treated well and even served alcohol in the new town.
And the residents were watching them from a distance with amazed expressions.
“Being told what to do by some weird stone!”
What was about to happen was an event that had become a kind of annual event. A baptism that new miners and other residents would receive first in this town.
『Confirmed riot. Suppressing.』
Something that had been standing next to the Monolith, motionless like an ornament.
The Golem called ＜Sheriff＞, which the girls of ＜Paraiso＞ dispatched to maintain public order, began to move.
『Using stun gun.』
“Ugh… Gaaah…!”
『Restraining.』
Initially, the Sheriff was greatly feared for its inorganic appearance and its strength to easily defeat grown adults.
“…Suppression confirmed.”
The man who had been mercilessly knocked unconscious and pinned down.
And the man’s companions, who had turned pale when they realized that Sheriffs were stationed everywhere.
In front of them appeared a girl who was a soldier of ＜Paraiso＞ and in charge of maintaining public order.
When she approached, the Sheriff bent its reverse-jointed Legs and lowered its torso to a reachable height.
The girl patted the Sheriff as if to thank it, and then looked around.
“You seem to be getting carried away. …Has your head cooled down a bit? I’ll overlook it this time, but next time you’ll be dealt with strictly according to the rules. Keep that in mind.”
The girl, who had large, fluffy beast ears called lop ears on her head, declared this and then walked away with the Sheriff following her.
The Sheriff was feared for its inorganic appearance and high combat power, but the townspeople were completely captivated by its appearance of fawning over a girl with cute beast ears and a tail.
Yes, they saw them as if they were wolves or horses wagging their tails at their masters.
Combined with eyewitness accounts of them not flinching even when swarmed by children and helping children who were about to fall, the security machine ＜Sheriff＞ had been accepted into this town.
Due to cost performance issues, the dispatch of troops to the lower ranks is gradually becoming more inorganic.
The Tree-made nuclear batteries are safe, secure, and have a long life.
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