My skin was still burning from the heat of the battle.
But the air around was cold, and the gazes of the Sawtooth Clan mbers were hostile.
'I didn't expect them to be this aggressive.'
The atmosphere was tense, but I tried to remain calm and analyze the situation.
It wasn't the worst-case scenario yet.
Threats ant they wanted sothing.
'If they were really planning to fight us, they would have ambushed us instead of coming here and talking.'
Then why were they bluffing?
I had to figure that out first.
I had a hunch, but I needed to confirm it.
"Loot..."
I chuckled and asked,
"What makes you think I looted it from you? Riakis was roaming the floor alone when I encountered him. Isn't that right, Erwen?"
"Yes? Ah, yes! That's right. I didn't detect any other explorers within a 1-kiloter radius. And besides, there are many precedents that state that you can't claim ownership of a monster that's roaming freely."
Erwen provided her testimony, but the dagger user wasn't backing down.
"That applies to ordinary monsters, not Floor Lords."
"So what's your point?"
"We were separated from Riakis during the raid, but that doesn't an we gave up our claim to him."
Separated during the raid?
Their equipnt told a different story.
Their equipnt was pristine, even though they had supposedly cleared the 3rd phase.
'They must have been trying to buy ti to re-equip.'
The decoy group must have bought them ti to retreat and re-equip. They were probably planning to regroup and co back for Riakis.
But they had failed.
The decoy group was nowhere to be seen.
'They must have realized that the decoy group was dead and searched the area. And then they found us and rushed over here.'
I could see the whole picture now.
Well, I couldn't be sure...
But it was the most likely scenario.
"Baron Yandel, you stole the Floor Lord we were raiding. We were risking our lives to slay him, and you just swooped in and took the essence."
"We didn't even know you were there."
"But you still took the essence, even after we warned you."
"What's wrong with that? It's my loot. I earned it."
"But you wouldn't have been able to slay him without our efforts."
He was right about that.
But they were the ones who had summoned the Floor Lord without permission.
And they had failed to hold aggro.
I had intervened to protect the lower-level explorers.
But I didn't bother explaining myself.
"So what do you want?"
I got straight to the point.
There was no point in arguing.
Logic wouldn't solve this.
"We demand compensation."
"Compensation?"
"Yes. We demand that you compensate us for the essence you stole."
"How much?"
"We'll let the guild's appraisal committee decide the price."
"Hmm..."
I thought for a mont.
I had three options.
1. Agree to their demands and pay them.
I would lose a lot of money, maybe even go into debt for a few years... but I had the essence, so it wasn't a complete loss.
2. Agree to their demands and then break my promise later.
The recording crystal was active, so if I did that, I would be accused of insulting the royal family and lose my noble title.
Hmm, so I only had one real choice?
3. Prove that I didn't do anything wrong.
I made my decision.
"I don't think I have anything to apologize for."
I placed my hamr on my shoulder and spoke.
"After all..."
"I don't rember stealing anything from you."
"...You're choosing to fight us?"
"Well, I'm not sure if I can call it a fight. It's more like a public execution."
He didn't seem to believe .
I chuckled and said,
"Don't worry, it'll be quick and painless."
I called out to my teammates,
"Ainar, Alia, Erwen!"
I had forgotten about Auyen, but I didn't bother correcting myself.
He wouldn't be of any help in this situation.
"Get ready for battle!!!"
My teammates imdiately drew their weapons and took their positions.
They ford a circle, their backs to each other.
Auyen, sensing the tension, hid behind .
"Anyone who approaches us will be slain."
I looked at the dagger user and said,
"I'll take full responsibility."
It was his turn to make a decision.
_______________________
We stood there, weapons drawn, for a long ti.
"...."
"...."
I was getting impatient.
How long were they going to stall?
I wanted to avoid a fight...
But I also knew that I couldn't back down now.
'They're in a difficult situation too.'
If they backed down, they would get nothing.
They had already lost fourteen mbers.
And if they let us go, they would be accused of letting a noble steal their loot and lose face.
'They can't just walk away.'
That was why they were stalling.
It was a ga of chicken.
Two cars racing towards a cliff.
The first one to swerve loses... but if neither of them swerves, they both die.
"Half..."
The dagger user finally spoke.
"We'll settle for half the value of the essence."
He had offered a compromise.
"Hmm, half..."
"We were the ones who suffered the most losses while fighting Riakis."
He was right.
They had lost fourteen mbers.
And it would take years and a fortune to replace them.
"Even if we take half, it'll barely cover the cost of our damaged equipnt and consumables."
He continued to plead his case.
"Of course, we'll use the guild's appraisal price as a basis—"
I cut him off.
"I appreciate your offer, but I'll have to decline."
He looked at , stunned.
"Decline...? You an...?"
He couldn't believe it.
It was an unspoken rule that the loser of a standoff gets nothing. Explorers valued their pride more than anything.
But...
'Why should I back down?'
They were bluffing.
If I didn't push my advantage, I would be the fool.
"Even if you offer more, my answer will remain the sa."
I pressed my advantage.
"So attack ."
It was a bold provocation.
But he didn't attack.
He just talked.
"...Please reconsider. Let's be reasonable."
"I'm being perfectly reasonable."
"...You're a reckless man, Baron Yandel."
"Well, you're the one who's accusing a noble of Lafdonia of looting."
"Do you really think you can handle the consequences?"
He was asking if I was prepared to fight them.
I chuckled.
"Do you think I would be here if I wasn't?"
I was confident.
"I'll give you three seconds."
"...?"
"If you don't attack within three seconds, I'll consider you assassins sent to kill ."
"T-That's ridiculous..."
"One."
He closed his mouth.
He was conflicted.
Should he back down?
Or should he fight ?
They had the numbers... but I was a barbarian.
'He might actually do it.'
"Two."
He still hadn't made up his mind.
I was about to say 'three'...
"...Vice-Captain!"
...when one of the archers whispered sothing to him.
They activated the 'Voice Control' spell, so I couldn't hear them.
I was about to intervene...
"Mister, there are explorers approaching."
"...What?"
"Hundreds of them..."
Hundreds?
Where did they co from—?
"I think it's the group we rescued."
Ah, them.
I thought it was another enemy clan.
'Is this good news...?'
I looked at the dagger user.
He was grinding his teeth.
He must have received the sa report.
But he couldn't attack us now.
He had no choice.
"...Everyone, stand down."
"We're leaving!"
They quickly dispersed.
But before he left, the dagger user turned around and said,
"...We'll et again in the city, Baron Yandel."
Damn it...
I had more work to do now.
_______________________
After the Sawtooth Clan left, hundreds of lower-level explorers arrived.
"Oh, Chieftain! Congratulations on your victory!!"
"Hahaha! I knew you could do it!"
The warriors cheered as they saw .
I had to use [Gigantification] to avoid being crushed by the crowd.
I found Lewis Siyur and asked him what had happened.
"Lewis Siyur! What's going on?"
"They wanted to thank you for saving them..."
So they had rushed over here after hearing that Riakis had been slain?
'Hmm, maybe I should be grateful.'
They had helped us resolve the situation peacefully.
'And I might need their testimony later.'
I made a ntal note to rember their nas and faces.
"Bent Maheil, was it? I'll rember you."
"...I-It's an honor!"
As I continued greeting the explorers, I noticed sothing strange.
They were looking at with awe.
"They're looking at us with such respect..."
"They must admire you, Baron."
"Yes, you're a true hero."
I had just been gathering information...
'It feels like I'm scamming them.'
I felt a pang of guilt, but I didn't correct them.
「Character's Fa has increased by 1.」
「Character's Fa has increased by 1.」
「Character's Fa has increased by 1...」
「...」
「...」
I should take advantage of this opportunity.
"Alright, we're leaving!"
We left the area.
"Where are we going? To the upper floors?"
"No, we have sothing else to do."
We couldn't go to the 4th floor.
The labyrinth would close before we could reach the 5th floor.
And I wanted to rest.
"Mister, where are we going?"
Erwen asked, and I answered,
"We're going to the Witch's Cabin."
"The cabin...? You an..."
"The shelter in the forest."
Why were they looking at like that?
Didn't they understand?
We had to collect the reward.
「Achievent Unlocked」
Condition: Chaos Lord Riakis slain.
Reward: ???
We couldn't leave without claiming the reward for the hidden achievent.
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