An’s eyes had been darting around restlessly, but after a moment, she seemed to snap to attention and bowed deeply to Tre.
"M-my apologies! My name is Rimegite Rinoria Gisurudo Ametes An. I... I'm so sorry, I don't happen to have a business card on me right now."
"Please, don't worry about that. May I call you An?"
"Y-yes, that would be fine!"
"Then, please forgive me for jumping straight into business at a party where we’ve only just met, but would you mind if we discussed some work-related matters?"
"Y-yes, ma'am!"
How should I put this? When Tre entered Work Mode, her entire aura shifted. She was already a striking beauty with the tall, slender build of a model, so she looked perfectly natural as a sharp, composed professional... but knowing her usual personality, the contrast was almost surreal.
Regardless, business? She had said it was "perfect" after learning An was a Cruel. Did she have some kind of job she wanted to commission to the Cruel race?
"Just to confirm, I assume you are currently active in the mining industry?"
"Yes. I, well, I serve as the Association Representative."
"I see. And what is the scale of your group?"
"Technically, we are a medium-scale association of over fifty people. However, our total membership is exactly fifty-four, so we’re only just barely past the threshold."
"Do you hold any technical certifications?"
"Ah, yes. Seven of us, including myself, hold Grade 1 Certification. Fifteen hold Grade Pre-1, and everyone else is Grade Pre-2 or higher."
"That is quite impressive. Are you currently under an exclusive contract with anyone?"
I wasn't entirely sure of the specifics, but judging by the conversation, there were professional certifications for mining, and An’s association possessed some top-tier credentials. Based on what she was saying, Grade 1 was the pinnacle, and the lower ranks likely went down to at least Grade 3.
"Ah, no. We primarily take on short-term contracts. To my shame, while our technical skills are high, our association is quite poor at negotiations. We don't have much experience with large-scale projects."
"...I see."
Tre fell silent for a moment, appearing deep in thought, before her lips curled into a gentle smile.
"Perhaps 'perfect' is an impolite way to phrase it, but your association sounds ideal. An, thank you for answering my questions."
"Ah, no, it was nothing."
"Now, to get to the heart of the matter... I’ll start with my conclusion. Would you be interested in signing an exclusive contract with us?"
"............Huh? What? Um... you mean, with the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company?"
"Yes. Our company has recently been expanding its operations in the Human Realm, centered on a project to increase the number of local Magic Tool Technicians. The Magic Crystal Department is no exception. To facilitate this expansion, we have secured several Magic Crystal Veins, and we’ve been searching for a partner to handle the mining operations. When one speaks of mining in the Human Realm, the Cruel race is the first that comes to mind. I was actually planning to visit a City of the Cruel Race later to scout for an association."
That made sense. The Magic Tool Technician Training Program my parents were currently enrolled in was probably part of that same initiative.
"While we are expanding, we aren't planning to grow at an explosive rate all at once. We were specifically looking for a small-to-medium-sized association that could scale alongside us, so your group fits the criteria perfectly. Of course, you have your own interests to consider, and discussing the finer points of a contract here would take too long. I’d like to schedule a formal negotiation at a later date. How does that sound?"
"Ah—y-yes! That would be... well, we couldn't have asked for anything more!"
"In that case, let’s exchange contact information so I can reach out with the schedule. You will need to visit one of our branch offices, but rest assured that we will cover all your travel expenses."
"Y-yes! Thank you so much!"
An looked completely overwhelmed, bowing her head repeatedly as she and Tre exchanged their contact details. After a short while, a beat of silence passed, and Tre’s atmosphere shifted once more. The "on" switch had clearly been flipped to "off."
"Alright, that's enough boring work talk! Geez, Kaito, why are you making that weird face again?"
"No, look, I get it. I know you're a capable professional when you want to be, and I know you can buckle down when the situation calls for it, Tre... but seeing you act like such a high-level executive is just so jarring."
"That's mean! You’re basically calling me a 'ponkotsu' whenever I’m not working... By the way, can I ask you something? What exactly does 'ponkotsu' mean? I’ve heard it was a word from your world. I can guess the meaning based on how people use it, but I’d like to know for sure."
"Ah, well... if I remember right, I think it was originally used for broken-down cars... or just mechanical products that don't work right..."
Tre had completely shed her business persona and was now asking about trivial nonsense with genuine curiosity. I couldn't help but offer a wry smile as I answered. To be honest, this version of Tre felt much more natural to me.
An, meanwhile, was left staring at the two of us, her mouth hanging open at the sudden whiplash in the conversation.
Serious-senpai: "I swear, the rewards he brings in exchange for my stomach pain are always massive... If only he’d throw some of those benefits my way."
???: "But you are getting something. You get the Sugar Development that triggers your stomach pain, and as a side effect, you’re undergoing the phenomenon of Sugarification yourself."
Serious-senpai: "That’s nothing but a disadvantage! Where’s the actual benefit!?"
Machina: "Isn't getting to meet me thanks to my beloved child the greatest benefit of all?"
Serious-senpai: "The downside is way too high! Where’s the actual benefit!?"
Machina: "...Oh?"