I was currently in the breakroom of my shop, Bamboo Forest, with fifteen people who had walked out of the previous meeting, including Darson from the weapon shop and my neighbor, Pauline. I had also asked Jill and Hughes to join us to help explain the new security company.
Our official purpose was to discuss the current state of Gimul and methods for self-defense... but in all honesty, we weren't making much progress.
The reason, quite simply, was me. While the people I already knew seemed fine, the participants I was meeting for the first time were visibly intimidated.
The cause was obvious. I had been incredibly high-strung during the previous assembly and had spoken quite harshly. The memory of that encounter was clearly lingering. It wasn't that they looked down on me or refused to acknowledge my role like they had before; rather, the atmosphere was stifling, and no one was offering any proactive questions or opinions.
To break the ice, I began by proposing the establishment of a security company as one of their options for protection. I emphasized that there was no need to worry about the "interference of nobles"—the very issue that had derailed the previous suspicious meeting—hoping to put them at ease.
"—And that covers the basics," I concluded.
I had asked Jill to handle the explanation, but the reactions remained sluggish. The participants seemed surprised, perhaps even more bewildered, by the presence of personnel dispatched directly from the Ducal House. I worried whether they had actually processed the information.
Just as I was beginning to fret, Darson spoke up.
"Ah—sorry. You probably know me, but I'm Darson; I run the weapon shop. Mind if I ask Ryoma a few questions?"
"Of course not," I replied.
"First, about this security company. Based on what you've said, I understand we won't have to deal with any trouble from the nobility, which was our main concern. I get that, but are you really serious about this? According to the conditions you listed, aside from putting these two in charge, you’re providing the full capital for everything—hiring, maintenance, and operational costs. On top of that, it only runs until the town stabilizes, and once that's over, you hand the entire force over to the Ducal House. Just hiring, training, and feeding men until they're competent costs a fortune. I don't know your target numbers, but you're paying for every head. Even with all that gold spent, those two will be managing the men and the contracts, so it’s not like you’ll have a private army at your beck and call, right? And when the deadline hits, you give it all away. To be blunt, there’s absolutely nothing in this for you."
He was right on the money. However, I had an answer prepared.
"I am completely serious. In fact, with the exception of the requirement to have these two as managers, every one of those points was a condition I proposed myself to ensure the proposal would be approved quickly."
The merchants all looked at me as if I were speaking a foreign language. To them, it must have looked like I was actively trying to bankrupt myself.
"To start with the fundamental point: I have no intention of making a profit from this security company. There are several reasons for this, but the biggest is the competition. Even if they're struggling right now, this town already has a reliable guard force and the Adventurer Guild. Elsewhere, there are mercenaries who specialize in this kind of work. A new security company would be a direct rival to all those established groups. As merchants, you know better than anyone how difficult it is for a newcomer to compete with the trust and history of a guild. It’s an uphill battle from the start."
Several people nodded in agreement.
"Furthermore, if I simply wanted to gather combatants for security, training them from scratch is the least efficient way to do it. It would be cheaper and faster to just hire adventurers or mercenaries. So, why build a security company at all? Because I believe it is necessary. Even if it costs money, we must be prepared to protect our property and our lives. I once heard a saying: 'If a rich man is defenseless, he is merely prey for armed bandits.' It's self-defeating to lose everything because you were too stingy to pay for protection. At the very least, I don't want to lose my family, my employees, or my own life.
"And even if the company itself doesn't turn a profit, I’m seeking benefits in other areas related to the business, so it isn't an issue for me. Also, while I didn't make it a formal condition to speed up the approval process, the Duke has informed me that I will receive a lump sum as compensation when the force is eventually transferred to the house."
To be honest, transferring the trained personnel was also a safeguard for the employees. I could hire them while they were needed, but what then? Simply firing them would be irresponsible. By handing them over to Reinhardt-san, who would always have a need for guards in the growing territory, I was ensuring their future employment. Knowing they might eventually work for the Ducal House would also make recruitment much easier. Once I finished explaining my reasoning, the participants finally began to look convinced.
Darson spoke up once more.
"Alright, I see you've thought this through. It’s not just a reckless whim. Still, you’ll be bleeding gold at the start. If security is your product, you’ll need to charge for it eventually, right? How much would we have to pay to have our shops guarded, and what exactly would you do for us?"
"We are currently discussing the appropriate pricing with experts from the various guilds, so the fine details haven't been set yet. Since we're just beginning to hire and train personnel, our initial operations will consist of basic training and town patrols, which will also serve as promotion for the company. During that phase, the service we can provide is having our guards stop by your shops during their rounds to check for issues. We’re also planning to provide 'Security Guard Visit Store' signs to deter potential criminals. Eventually, we hope to offer permanent on-site guards, but the cost for that will depend on the number of people, hours, and their level of experience. We’ll handle that through individual consultations based on your budget. But as I said, I don't intend to make a profit here, so I won't be setting prices that are a burden to you. On the other hand, if I set them too low, I'll draw the ire of the guilds and mercenaries, so it’s a delicate balance."
"It's a tough spot, for sure," Sieg summarized, stepping in as I started to wander into the weeds. "But for now, 'we can't give a specific number yet' is a fair enough answer."
"Yeah," Darson agreed. "Better to hear it hasn't been decided than to be fed a lie."
"Thank you," I said, feeling a weight lift.
With the talk about the company finished and no more questions from the floor, we moved to the next item: community-led crime prevention. Since no one else was speaking, it fell to me again. I listed the measures I was taking at my own shop as examples:
- Increasing guard personnel.
- Establishing emergency response protocols with employees.
- Conducting regular crime prevention and evacuation drills.
- Installing defensive equipment, like shields.
- Using Weed Slimes and Stone Slimes as early-warning systems.
I then proposed the idea of making a "Safety Map," a project I remembered from my elementary school days. I believed that if the community worked together on it, it would be genuinely effective.
"Excuse me," Pauline interrupted. "I understand the guards and the drills, but what's this about shields?"
"Oh, would you like to see one? I have them right here."
The moment I said that, the three capable maids appeared.
"We have prepared them for you." "At Bamboo Forest, we keep these under the counter so they can be grabbed instantly."
I hadn't even asked them yet, but they already had the items ready. They were riot shields, inspired by the transparent polycarbonate versions used by police back on Earth. These were made from processed Sticky Slime hardening fluid plates—incredibly light but remarkably tough. My goal was to give non-combatants a way to protect themselves until the guards could arrive.
"Wow, this is light!" Pauline exclaimed, lifting it with one hand. "Even a 'frail' woman like me can carry this easily. Here, Sieg, try it."
"It really is light," Sieg noted, surprised.
"May I try as well?" another man asked.
The shield was passed around the room, and soon people were asking how they could get their hands on them. The atmosphere in the room began to shift, becoming much more lively.
"So, what was this 'Safety Map' you mentioned?" someone asked.
"It’s a map that identifies dangerous spots or areas where crimes are likely to happen. You might think you already know your neighborhood, but environments change. For example, an alley that used to be busy because of a popular shop might now be deserted and quiet. Do any places like that come to mind?"
"Actually, yes. I can think of a few," one man replied.
"Me too. Places that used to be safe but feel different now."
"Exactly. Identifying those current risks is one of the goals. But it’s not just about obviously quiet streets. We also want to find the dangers 'hidden in the everyday.' For instance, a pile of boxes or trash behind a shop, or even a carriage parked in the same spot every day. If someone knows those objects will be there, they can use them. They block the line of sight, giving someone a place to hide, or if they’re flammable, they could be used to start a fire."
"When you put it that way, we're practically helping criminals by being messy," a merchant muttered.
The questions started coming fast now. Even the representative from the bookstore—a young man who usually looked like he'd rather be anywhere else—spoke up to confirm his understanding.
"Precisely! And if possible, I’d like the local children to participate in making the map as well. Children see the world differently than adults, and they can fit into spaces adults wouldn't even think about."
I told them about Niki's secret base in the Fatma Territory and the dangers that had been hidden there.
"As a parent, that's chilling," one woman said. "I never thought about how easily a child could be hidden right in plain sight."
"If a child can hide there, they can be hidden there by someone else. A box large enough for a kid to play in is a box large enough to kidnap them in. If we map these spots, parents can learn their children’s play areas, and we can teach the kids why those specific spots are dangerous. We can't keep them locked up forever, and just telling them 'don't go there' doesn't always work, does it?"
Nods of agreement rippled through the room.
"Tell me about it. I tell my son to be home by dark, and he’s always pushing it to the last second." "Mine too. She takes shortcuts through deserted alleys because they're faster, no matter what I say."
It turned into a bit of a venting session for the parents.
"Well," Darson grunted, "I wasn't exactly a saint when I was a kid either."
Everyone shared a wry smile. We all had memories of doing exactly what our parents told us not to.
"So, it's better to explain the 'why' rather than just giving orders," I added. "I'm a child myself, yet here I am lecturing adults, so I suppose I'm proof of that."
The silence was broken by a wave of laughter. Some people were full-on laughing, while others were trying—and failing—to stifle snickers.
"Did I say something funny?"
"No, well... Ryoma," Hughes said, shaking his head. "You're not wrong, but you're the last person on earth who should be saying that!"
"He's right," another woman added. "It shouldn't be strange for a child to talk about a child's perspective, but... you're so mature that I genuinely forgot you were a kid until you mentioned it."
The stiff atmosphere finally dissolved completely. We spent the rest of the time discussing my proposals and exchanging ideas until we realized we were running out of time. We settled on a basic policy and decided to meet again later to hammer out the specifics.
After seeing everyone else off, I returned to the breakroom to find Darson, Pauline, and Sieg waiting for me.
"Thank you all so much for your help today," I said, bowing.
"Whoa, where's this coming from?" Darson asked.
"I think today was a success. Everyone seemed satisfied, and they even apologized to me for the previous meeting before they left."
That previous assembly had been a nightmare of hostile stares. I had been determined not to back down, but I had essentially written them all off as enemies and spoken with a cold, biting edge.
"You don't need to bow to us," Sieg said. "You've been thinking seriously about this town for a long time, Ryoma. People just finally saw that today."
I appreciated the sentiment, but I knew the truth. There had been a real rift between me and the other merchants. Darson and the others had bridged that gap by stepping up and asking the right questions. Without them, we never would have reached this point.
"Well, it was a bit touch-and-go at first," Pauline admitted. "But remember, everyone who came today was someone who walked out of the Duke's meeting. They already agreed with you on some level."
"If anything," Darson added with a smirk, "the problem was your vibe. Back at the guild, you were like a wounded monster in the middle of breeding season trying to protect its nest. You were terrifying."
"...Was I really that bad?"
"It probably started with us," Darson laughed, "but anyone who talks to you for five minutes realizes you're actually a reasonable kid."
So, I hadn't just been 'edgy'—I'd looked like a literal monster to them. Well, I certainly had things to reflect on... but I had successfully repaired my relationships with at least some of the local business owners.
I was determined to keep working hard to maintain these bonds!