After passing along Rasal-san's request to Tre-san and Zex-san, they kindly agreed to arrange a meeting for the negotiations. A few days later, I contacted Rasal-san and made my way to the specific branch of the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company she had requested.
Since I was the one who had facilitated the introduction, I accompanied them to the meeting. I was curious to see how the conversation would play out, although the actual negotiating was entirely up to Rasal-san; I was there merely as a bystander.
After entering the reception room and waiting for a short while, Tre-san arrived, accompanied by Cento-san and Sien-san. Tre-san gave us a brief smile before addressing Rasal-san.
"I apologize for the wait. I am Tre, the Special Advisor of the Magic Crystal Department for the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company."
...Who on earth was this? I was genuinely stunned to see Tre-san offering her business card and delivering such a polite, formal greeting with a sharp, professional expression. She was unrecognizable from her usual self.
"It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Rasal Marfik, a subordinate of Death King Isis-sama. Thank you for making time for me today despite the sudden nature of the request."
"Not at all. Miyama Kaito-san is a vital associate of our company, so a referral from him is a high priority. Now then, please, let us begin."
After exchanging greetings with Rasal-san, Tre-san gave a slight bow and took her seat. Cento-san and Sien-san remained standing behind her, ready to assist.
The atmosphere was so different from the norm that I couldn't quite relax. Still, seeing her with such a serious look reminded me that Tre-san was actually a striking, tall woman who radiated the aura of a highly competent professional.
"...Now then, I understand you are looking to procure Magic Crystals?"
"Yes. If possible, I wish to secure a batch of at least one hundred crystals with a purity of eighty percent or higher."
"I see. Over a hundred crystals of that grade... Depending on the circumstances, if the number reaches several hundred, it would be difficult for an ordinary trading company to handle."
"Indeed. However, I believed that if it were the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company, it might be possible..."
"Hmm, I see... It is certainly within our means to prepare such an order. However, since this is a transaction with a partner we have no prior history with—and considering the volume involved—you must be prepared for a certain markup in price, regardless of Miyama Kaito-san’s introduction."
"I understand. I merely ask that we be allowed to negotiate the specifics..."
"Very well. Let us align our terms, including the finer details... First, regarding the exact quantity..."
They were engaged in such a serious, high-level business discussion that I realized I wouldn't be able to get a word in edgewise. As I sat there wondering what to do, Cento-san approached me.
"It looks like the negotiations will take quite a while," she said softly. "If you’d like, please take a seat over there. I will prepare some tea for you."
"Ah, thank you."
It seemed she had noticed I was being left in the dust and came over to look after me. She led me to a separate table set a short distance away from where Tre-san and Rasal-san were locked in their discussion.
I gratefully accepted the offer to take a breather, and soon Sien-san arrived with black tea and sweets.
"Here you go."
"Thank you."
"This is likely to go on for some time. If it's alright with you, Miyama-san, Cento and I can keep you company?"
"That would be a huge help, thank you."
Even though they were using polite language, Tre-san and Rasal-san were clearly clashing over the terms of the deal, hammering out the incredibly fine details of the contract.
Sipping my tea, I spoke up, feeling grateful for Sien-san’s company.
"Still, Tre-san... her atmosphere is completely different than usual, isn't it?"
"It might be surprising, but Tre-neesama is the type who keeps her public and private lives strictly separate," Cento-san explained. "She's incredibly serious when it comes to work. She never slacks off."
"It might be hard to imagine from her usual behavior, but she’s been with the company so long that she’s considered one of its oldest members," Sien-san added. "She’s very formidable in negotiations and possesses more than enough knowledge and ability to serve as a Special Advisor."
Come to think of it, back when I first met her at the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company Headquarters, she had just happened to be passing by and wasn't officially on the clock, so she had been in her "private mode." Even so, I remembered her guiding me through the building with very polite, formal language. As Cento-san said, she was clearly someone who drew a firm line between her job and her personal life.
"However, the other party is quite impressive as well. She’s holding her own perfectly against Tre-neesama."
"Tre-neesama is truly strong when it comes to business. It seems the Death King-sama has very capable subordinates."
"Rasal-san is very intelligent, and negotiations seem to be her specialty," I replied. "From what I've heard, she’s currently the one overseeing all mining-related transactions for the Land of Death..."
It seemed Tre-san really was a powerhouse in the business world, and both Cento-san and Sien-san seemed genuinely impressed that Rasal-san could match her pace.
Nonetheless, having seen the usual Tre-san... I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of cognitive dissonance looking at this sharp, professional version of her. I suppose it was just proof of how much she normally trusted me, given how casually she usually acted.
???: "Well, she has held a ranking position in that trading company for over ten thousand years, you know."
Serious-senpai: "I get that, but the gap between her personas is still staggering."