Disaster Designation Subjugation Request II
“Ah, of course, I will be the one to present what I desire.”
In the tense atmosphere, I leaned back against the chair’s backrest, allowing myself to relax as a faint smile graced my lips. I spoke with a nonchalant air, ensuring my words were clear, yet it felt as if I were conversing without truly engaging. I recited the lines prepared in my mind, following the script laid out for me.
“Naturally, I will push for some unreasonable demands, you see? After all, this is a subjugation of a Disaster-Designated Monster, a being capable of annihilating a nation second only to the Demon Lord’s Army. This isn’t a large-scale operation led by a kingdom but rather an impulsive subjugation mission carried out by an individual and their companions. Such demands should be permissible, don’t you think?”
I pressed on without waiting for the King, the First Prince, or the Prime Minister to respond. The disaster itself was a calamity that could change form and move with a clear intent. That was the essence of a Disaster-Designated Monster, a creature so formidable that conventional means could neither kill it nor even deter or divert it.
To be honest, simply killing a Disaster-Designated Monster is a hassle, but it’s not life-threatening, so it’s not overly burdensome. Dealing with the executives of the Demon Lord’s Army is far more troublesome, as they tend to have numerous subordinates and each possesses troublesome traits. The last one I fought, who claimed to be the strongest among the Demon Lord’s Army executives, was someone who would have died after a single failure.
That aside, I would demand compensation. Even if it’s not life-threatening, defeating such a creature would require time, effort, and resources. I’m not particularly resilient, so I would likely sustain injuries. Thus, I would need to cover the costs of treatment, replenish consumed supplies, and replace any damaged equipment. Given that this is a request from the start, it’s only reasonable to demand compensation. Some agreed with me on this, and I was told to at least push for these demands, so I took control of the situation.
“That said, I don’t wish to destroy this country, nor do I want to rule over it as a sovereign. Therefore, I won’t demand that you continuously provide funds that would only impoverish the royal treasury, nor will I ask for the princess or titles of nobility.”
After all, such things would only serve as a collar more burdensome than a title of heroism.
“Thus, I have two requests for you.”
I raised two fingers and met the gaze of the King, who was quietly sweating and looking at me. If I were in his position, I might feel the urge to look away or falter under such scrutiny, but he remained steadfast, a testament to his status as a ruler. In a similar situation, I would likely be the one to avert my gaze.
“The first is money. I’m not asking for a bounty on the subjugation target; rather, I want compensation for the supplies consumed during the subjugation, the costs for treating any injuries sustained, and the expenses incurred for the effort put into the subjugation.”
“Ah, of course, I won’t be asking for an outrageous sum. This isn’t a target that requires hundreds of billions or thousands of billions to subjugate. Spending such amounts would be a far more meaningless endeavor than tossing dust into a gutter.”
“Let’s see… at most, around ten billion. That’s remarkably cheap. To put it in perspective, you could eliminate a disaster that threatens to destroy your nation for the same amount you’d pay to slay a fully grown dragon through the Adventurers’ Guild. This amount shouldn’t be a significant burden for you, right?”
In reality, if paying ten billion multiple times could destabilize the nation, it would already be on the brink of collapse. In such a scenario, the populace would be suffering, and the country would be in chaos. If that were the case, I wouldn’t be sitting here negotiating; I would be out slaying demons and the Disaster-Designated Monster myself.
While it might be plausible for a smaller nation, this country is undoubtedly a major power, with ample resources accumulated in its treasury.
“That’s why I’ll prioritize the second request. It’s not just something I want you to do; it’s something I will do. If this doesn’t go through, I will leave this country and head somewhere far away, refusing to engage in any subjugation of the Disaster-Designated Monster.”
…I had heard that this statement served as the greatest threat, but I hadn’t fully believed it until now. The King’s expression remained unchanged, but the First Prince and the Prime Minister standing behind him had drained of color, sweat trickling down their necks.
This expression reminded me of the time I had to climb out of a pit filled with a horde of demons and monsters that the highest-ranking demon had set up to kill me. While that expression looked more like shock-induced pallor, I had swiftly dealt with them.
“Ah, rest assured, First Prince and Prime Minister. I won’t act without warning. If you outright refuse to accept my demands and declare that you will not negotiate at all, then that’s when I would take action.”
I had no intention of reassuring them; rather, I was leaning more towards intimidation. My words carried the weight of a threat: either accept my demands or concede to my advantage, or I would act without hesitation. The King’s expression remained stoic.
“Now, for my second request: everything I kill from the Disaster-Designated Monsters will belong to me. I may sell some of it to you, but fundamentally, all the materials I acquire from my kills will be mine to keep.”
I stated my demands casually. At first glance, it might not seem like a significant threat, but the First Prince and the Prime Minister, who had previously looked pale, now wore expressions that seemed to question why I would make such a request. The King, however, appeared to have realized something, his eyes widening as a complex mix of emotions, primarily agitation, flickered within them.
I genuinely believed this to be the case.
There was a possibility that came to mind.
Indeed, the materials from monsters could be used for weapons and potions, and the stronger the monster, the more powerful the resulting equipment or effective potions. If the materials came from a monster that had grown to the level of being designated as a disaster, the resulting weapons would likely be extraordinary, perhaps even rivaling the Holy Sword. If used for potions, it could lead to the recreation of miracles like Soma, which could resurrect the dead, or the Elixir, which grants a form of immortality, or even the Philosopher’s Stone, which could defy aging.
While it’s uncertain if the technology to achieve this exists in this era, and even if it did, a single material wouldn’t suffice, the potential for crafting superior weapons and potions far surpassing conventional ones is immense.
To put it bluntly, if I could kill these monsters without significant damage and recover their materials to forge weapons, I would create a substantial military advantage over other nations. A ruler of a nation would surely recognize this.
“Well, there is one specific monster that I have been asked to kill separately. For now, we will be heading out to deal with that. Please bring back a well-considered conclusion through the Knight Commander, alright? Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
I stood up, leaving the three of them in silence, and without waiting for a response, I opened the door and stepped outside with only a brief farewell. Normally, I should have waited for their response, made decisions based on that, and then waited for the King, the First Prince, and the Prime Minister to exit before leaving the room… but, well, it’s fine.