"Then, how many troops have you prepared?"
Grin asked point-blank, getting straight to the point.
Crusch clasped her hands, her elbows resting on the table, a hint of hesitation in her brow, clearly weighing whether to reveal all her cards.
Considering the crucial role of the White Whale's intelligence to her side, she finally let out a soft sigh and decided to be honest.
"About seven hundred people. To be honest, I'm really not good at dealing with someone as blunt as you, Lord Gelin."
Grin quickly calculated in his head and nodded nonchalantly. "That should be enough to give the White Whale a hard time."
Crusch smiled confidently upon hearing this. "Of course, I've prepared elites."
Grin shook his head and laughed heartlessly.
"No, Crusch. What I meant was that the White Whale could finish off your men in a single gulp."
"Unbelievable. Is the optimal troop ratio I discussed with several strategists still no match for it?"
A look of gravity appeared in Crusch's eyes.
She possessed the Blessing of Wind Sight, which allowed her to read the natural wind and the emotional winds of the human heart, accurately judging whether the other party was lying.
Since this man appeared, the wind around him had been chaotic, with no discernible pattern.
But when he pointed out that seven hundred people were not enough to kill the White Whale, the wind eerily stalled for a moment.
This proved that the man before her was not lying.
"The White Whale is more than just a massive magical beast."
Grin tapped the tabletop with his finger, his tone calm but carrying an indisputable weight.
"Its most lethal trait isn't physical impact, but those two types of mist."
"Ordinary mist can blot out the sun and sky, causing your team to lose coordination instantly. The second is the Mist of Elimination; those hit by it will disappear, and even their companions' memories of them will be completely erased."
He looked up at Crusch, a flash of solemnity in his eyes.
"Those who disappear leave no trace. Those still alive won't even remember they're missing comrades. The formation will only grow more chaotic as the battle progresses."
Crusch's hand under the table quietly clenched. The Blessing of Wind Sight allowed her to clearly capture the unwavering truth in Grin's words.
"Even more troublesome are its clones and defense."
Grin continued, "Once it falls into a disadvantage, it will split into two clones to distract you while the main body hides in the mist to recover."
"The white fur on its body can disperse mana, making attack magic almost completely ineffective."
The more Crusch listened, the more her heart sank. She felt that her previous preparations were not just insufficient, but practically suicidal.
"It seems that even increasing the number of people to a thousand would be futile."
Felix listened from the side, his cat ears tensing up. He couldn't help but interject, "Then... then is there really no way to deal with it, meow?"
"Of course there is."
Grin curled his lips into a sly smile.
"Crusch, one person's strength is ultimately limited. Against a disaster-class magical beast like the White Whale, relying solely on your Karsten Family is like throwing a lamb into a tiger's mouth—only an alliance and joint operations are the wisest course of action."
Crusch's body trembled slightly, her golden eyes full of gravity. She pressed her knuckles against her brow and said deeply:
"Are you recommending yourself, or do you want me to unite with other Royal Selection camps?"
"The more allies, the better, of course."
Grin nodded, his tone resolute.
"The White Whale's mist shrouds Flügel Avenue, obstructing many merchant caravans and travelers. There will always be someone more anxious than you to eliminate this thorn in their side."
Before he could finish, the wooden door of the tea room creaked open, and a dainty yet shrewd voice drifted in:
"Oh my, Lord Grin's words have truly struck a chord with me."
"Hahaha, Mimi is here to find Big Brother!"
The Cat Clan Beastman with caramel-colored curly hair poked her head out from behind Anastasia.
She lunged toward Grin with a reckless charge.
Grin raised his hand to block her, grabbing Mimi by the collar and lifting her up.
If he didn't catch this little one quickly, she might fly onto his head the next second.
"Mimi wants to eat that cookie!"
The Little Sprout pointed at Grin's plate, pleading familiarly while constantly swaying her body to get closer to the table.
Grin had no choice but to drop her directly onto the dining table.
Anastasia also walked straight to the table and pulled out a chair to sit down.
She propped her elbows on the table and looked at Crusch with a beaming smile, her tone carrying the clarity unique to a merchant.
"Lady Crusch, it's been a long time. I didn't expect you and I to be worrying about the same thing. This 'fish meat' business is something our Hoshin Merchant Guild also wants a hand in."
As she spoke, Anastasia gave Grin a playful wink.
Crusch's expression remained unchanged, her tone calm.
"Naruhodo. It seems you two have already met beforehand?"
Anastasia laughed brightly, not hiding it at all: "After receiving a message from a certain merchant, I ran over here before I even had time for breakfast. Could I have some tea and snacks as well?"
Poor Otto, once again failing to have his name remembered.
Crusch waved her hand, and Felix retreated understandingly to prepare food for Anastasia.
"I will consider the alliance. However, for now, let's talk about your bargaining chips. After all, this is a judgment that will affect the Royal Selection and even the future of the country; we cannot jump to conclusions."
"My private Mercenary Group can be integrated into the subjugation force, and all the supplies for the teams can be provided by the Hoshin Merchant Guild."
"Of course, if Green-kun can hand over that entire warehouse of requiem grass to me... by sunset today, we could produce at least 800 High-Grade Healing Potions. Those are a warrior's second life, after all."
Crusch's eyes shifted slightly. She had fewer than two hundred High-Grade Healing Potions in her possession; how could she not be tempted by such terms?
"Is this Green-kun's bargaining chip as well? As far as I know, Emilia shouldn't have any usable military force, right? With just this, the contributions from each side are quite unbalanced."
If they truly killed this magical beast that had rampaged for four hundred years, it would be a supreme honor for anyone.
Not to mention for Royal Selection candidates like them who were in dire need of massive prestige.
"Eh?" Emilia, who had been sitting upright the whole time, looked up in a panic.
She had just come for breakfast, and Grin had somehow started discussing the major event of subjugating the White Whale with Crusch.
As the center of her camp, she felt like nothing more than a decorative vase at this moment.
"I... I can have Puck help out too..."
Saying this, Emilia gave Grin a resentful look and tugged at his sleeve.
Grin extended his hand and gently covered Emilia's slightly cool hand, signaling her not to panic. He then looked directly at Crusch, his tone certain.
"I possess a treasure that can grant me power rivaling the White Whale for a short time. When the White Whale is injured and uses its cloning ability, I will strike unexpectedly and cut it down."
As his voice fell, the tea room instantly went silent, everyone's face filled with disbelief.
As a creation of the Witch of Gluttony, in the entire kingdom, only the Sword Saint Reinhard van Astrea could slay the White Whale in a one-on-one fight.
Unfortunately, Reinhard had been assigned by the kingdom to escort core members of Sage Council to the Empire for a diplomatic mission.
Crusch's eyes widened even further as she focused on the wind around Grin. The Blessing of Wind Sight was fully active, and after a long while, she murmured in a low voice.
"It's actually the truth..."
Her hands slowly relaxed and rested on the edge of the table. She first gave a slight nod to Anastasia, then turned to Grin with a solemn expression.
"May I see that treasure? If I can confirm the power within it, the Karsten family will accept this alliance."