Chapter 167 – Chapter 15 – Step by Step
“… The tea tastes very good.”
After the meal, Yulia said so sincerely as Natasha drank her own tea.
The words she put on her lips were what she originally intended to say, but in order to do so, the milk tea Natasha had prepared fit her own taste quite well.
“Okay? That’s fortunate. I wondered what if it didn’t suit Yulia’s taste.”
“Did Klaus say that? Maybe I like sweet things.”
“It’s not like that, but I inferred it from watching Yulia drinking coffee before. She puts a little more sugar or honey in it.”
Looking at Natasha, who replied with her smile, Yulia raised the corner of her mouth with a huh.
She’s trying to pretend that nothing is wrong, but she’s probably very uncomfortable, that fairy woman.
Because she just called Klaus really ‘Klaus’ in front of her.
The fact that she said that, leaving her title of professor outright, was to emphasize in Natasha’s presence that her relationship with him was stronger and deeper than you might think.
Indeed, what would a Belarusian woman who would be sad about if that fairy was second only to being proud?
Even if he laughs and moves on, wouldn’t he definitely try to fight back at least once?
“Klaus-sama is not the kind of person who would carelessly say such things. That’s why he is a better person.”
But contrary to Yulia’s expectations, Natasha doesn’t seem particularly concerned about that part.
She seemed to admit that she had no room to intervene between Klaus and Yulia.
Rather than tossing about in an impossible fight and being pushed away for nothing, she seemed to have decided to settle down safely in a corner of his heart some distance away.
Thanks to that, Yulia grumbled, “If she’s like this, she’s just made me feel like a narrow-minded woman.”
“Stop talking about him, and as I said during tea time yesterday, you said that you are thinking of a corresponding price on the condition that you completely give up the right to develop the mine.”
“Yes. Dongbu also needs something to gain so that the bottom will keep its mouth shut. If there is nothing falling on them, they will try to shake it somehow and eat it.”
“I’ve been thinking about it, but I think it’s a little like that for me to propose. Maybe Julia has something in mind? I want to fit in there as much as possible.”
“The mine hasn’t been fully developed yet, isn’t it just at the level of exploration? It seems like Klaus and you are looking at it too positively.”
Yulia deliberately walked away like that.
As she said, the mines that are currently discovered near the border are really at the level of ‘discovery’, and it is not a process at all because it is a jackpot because it is mining.
Even if there really is a secret link, is it worth the time and money to dig it up? It’s another matter, and if a competitor competes with Natasha to the end, it could be quite a headache for her.
Still, it seemed to Natasha that the mine was going to hit the jackpot, and that under such circumstances, she would be the only one who could take control of the investment in the mine.
‘If it’s a mine with high potential, there must be many competitors. Even Natasha said that she is secretly under a lot of checks in Belarus, so it could be a little dangerous.’
Whether she knew Yulia’s worries or not, she only replied that Natasha had nothing to worry about.
It would definitely work out, there must be a reason why Klaus-sama said that.
Yulia, who was worried because she spoke so confidently, was embarrassed for no reason.
“Don’t worry, just say what you want. If the mine starts to work in earnest, how much compensation does Demon King Julia Agnesa want?”
Natasha’s nickname for Yulia was changed to Demon King.
As a result, Yulia returned to her Demon Lord Julia Agnesa instead of Cadet Yulia as she wanted.
Then he crossed her arms and touched her chin, causing her to think.
Whatever you want, it’s Yulia’s freedom. If the eastern demons rebel, they won’t be able to develop half of the mine anyway. From the point of view of the fairy and Natasha, who have to develop the mine, they will have to eat all of the mine, even if it’s a little too much, unless it’s a really ridiculous request. –
Clearly Klaus had said that, as if he had nuanced that it would be okay to pay a high price.
Rest assured that I will eventually accept any request as long as it is not ridiculous.
‘Hearing that, I honestly thought about asking for 30% of the silver mined in the mine…’
As expected, that seems too much, some would say that 30% would be fine, but at least Julia needed to think about something more important than that money.
It is said that the demon king is currently suffering from insufficient funds, but that is because the author named my uncle secretly steals taxes from the middle, now almost openly.
In addition, the nobles of the anti-demon king faction are paying the tax to him without passing it on to the demon king family.
However, if the internal situation is sorted out and everything is reversed, the funding problem will naturally be resolved.
Even the urgent fire was able to be extinguished thanks to Klaus, so there is no need to hang on to money all the more.
More importantly, what is more desperate and necessary is the power to help oneself from the outside.
You don’t have to growl with everyone in the West to be your archenemy.
It’s good to build relationships by holding hands with decent people and building relationships with people you can trust.
It was after Yulia realized painfully through the horrors taking place in the East that nothing could be accomplished by turning everyone into enemies.
‘I’m sorry, Klaus. You asked for as much money as possible, but… No matter how you think about it, it’s not. Rather, I want to create a place where the kite can reach the west beyond the east, even if I want a smaller price.’
Although I don’t like the affectionate gaze of Klaus, a woman named Natasha, whom I’ve watched so far, the parts other than that are worth keeping as friends.
In the beginning, they bumped into each other a lot, but both of them had reasons for doing so, and as time passed, they came to the point where they were drinking tea while smiling without any problems.
So Yulia put an end to her troubles.
She still had her arms crossed, but her graying hair was somewhat cleared.
“Natasha Belarus. You seem to think that the mine will succeed. No, should I say sure? Is that right?”
“Yes, that is correct. Julia Agnesa Demon King. I am checking that.”
“Well, if I don’t give up the mine, the loss will be very great.”
At Yulia’s words, Natasha silently nodded her head.
Apparently at tea time yesterday, she seemed to think positively, but after seeing her confidence, did she think that it would be better to fight over ownership than to abandon the mine? I think it is.
Did he show excessive confidence, or did he give a strong feeling that it would be too regretful to throw it away from the other person’s point of view?
In Natasha’s mind, her sneaking apprehension was just as she was about to raise her head.
“Are you willing to accept any price I offer?”
“… What price do you want?”
“As I said yesterday, it will be part of the revenue from the silver that will be mined after the mine is developed.”
“Okay. If so, I’d love to hear how much you want. It’s a condition of giving up everything about the mine, so even if you can’t…”
“10%.”
No matter how bad she was, she couldn’t be more than 20%, she was Natasha who thought.
However, the words that came out of Yulia’s mouth were only 10% of those words.
“That, Julia Agnesa Demon King? I think I just said 10%, but I did something wrong…”
“Nope. I heard it straight. 10% of the profit earned by the mine every year. If you promise me that, the eastern demons won’t make any demands for that mine.”
“…”
Taking 10% of what you earn every year is by no means small.
However, this is not a mine purely in fairy territory, and if you dig more and more, you will naturally cross the border and reach the eastern part.
If this is the case, from the perspective of the demons, of course, it is their legitimate request, and they may want more benefits, and above all, it is easy to obtain more than 10% of the profits just by betting in the middle.
It was only natural for Natasha to be so flustered and surprised.
The one who says even 10% is enough is the demon king, the current eastern ruler.
Since it was the words she uttered, I can’t pick them up again, and other demons can’t be bothered.
“… Could it be that you want something different from me?”
Thinking about her thoughts, Natasha cautiously opens her mouth.
No matter how much I think about it, asking for only 10% is something strange, very, very strange.
Even though Natasha knew roughly the situation of the demon king family, she rejected the immediate benefits and wanted something much less than she expected.
“I can’t imagine putting a condition like that on keeping my distance from Klaus-sama…”
“Excuse me? Do I look like a woman who would do such a nasty thing?”
It was Yulia who terrifyingly glared at her.
She had the thought of just raising it to 50%, but be patient. I muttered to myself, managing her expression, then opening her mouth again.
“I want something different. Yes, that is correct. Natasha Belarus. I have something else I want from you.”
“May I ask what it is?”
“Absolutely. I am you, Natasha Belarus. I want to be friends with you in a real sense.”
“… Friend? Are you talking to me?”
At Yulia’s words, Natasha responded in disbelief.
Demons, and fairies.
While they are busy roaring with each other, even if their relationship is a little better, it’s just that they made a deal for each other’s profit.
Originally, they didn’t like each other completely in the Continental War, and as a result, they were now busy talking about each other’s races while glaring at each other’s stories.
At least here at the Continental Academy, such acts are forbidden at all, and since they are all one step away from the devastation of war, the antipathy is a little less.
Still, it was beyond imagination that demons and fairies, even one of the powerful families in the fairy society, herself from Belarus and the demon king, the eastern monarch, made friends.
“For what purpose are you suggesting that?”
“Nothing special. It’s just me and you all had a very painful time at one time. And by enduring that, I’m trying to rise to the top.”
“…”
“And they both like the same guy. No, should I say that I have more feelings than that? Hmm… Maybe that’s it. Anyway, because we have such common parts, I want to get closer to you. Natasha Belarus.”
“But…”
“From now on, the road we are going on will be a thorny road, and everywhere we go there will be more enemies than allies. If that’s the case, I think it would be great if you had a friend you could at least confide in and ask for help from time to time. How about it? My thoughts.”
At Yulia’s words, Natasha involuntarily nodded her head.
She honestly thought that she herself would have to develop a little more relationship with the demon lord in front of her eyes.
Klaus pushes her back to get closer to Yulia, and if she makes an invisible alliance with the demon king, she will be of considerable help in the future, but there was no reason to throw her away.
However, the pride of the fairies still remained.
As a noble Belarusian fairy, was it really okay to be friends with the devil? Natasha was holding on to that kind of mind.
However, that hesitation, and pride.
Yulia’s next words were so easy! And collapsed.
“If you and I become friends, Klaus will be very happy.”
“Really?”
“I bet you. I bet the name of the demon king, Julia Agnesa.”
