"Thanks for coming. Let's get straight to the negotiation."
As soon as I entered Twilight Manor, Finn and the other executives greeted me.
Neither side liked wasting time, so we headed straight to the reception room and began negotiations.
"I said it yesterday, but we need you."
"Let's hear the reason. Why are you trying to drag me into the expedition?"
"Thanks to you, the expedition went more smoothly than ever before."
"That's the only reason?"
"The only reason?!"
Finn shouted, slamming the table as he stood up.
"Gah—"
"You! You don't know your own worth!"
"I decide my own worth. What I do is my business."
"...Fair enough."
After calming himself down, Finn spoke again.
"I'll say it once more. We need you."
"...Then let's do this."
The reason I refused the expedition was simple: I was too tired.
Since Loki Familia was made up of adventurers who conquered the Dungeon, expeditions were frequent, and if I signed a contract, I'd be dragged out at all hours to hunt monsters and cook meals.
That was something I'd rather die than do.
"I'll set a limit on how many expeditions you have to join."
"...Fine."
Finn took out the contract, dipped his quill in ink, and began writing.
After skimming it, I saw that Loki Familia could require me to join a certain number of expeditions, and I could refuse to participate in them.
"Oh, and I'd like to take the remaining monster materials with me."
"Materials...? Which ones?"
"The thread from the Deformis Spider."
"That much is fine... I'll give it to you after we finish the contract."
After adjusting the terms and the benefits each side would get, I signed the contract.
"...Good. This is acceptable."
"We did it... We actually did it!"
"Then I'm off. I've got something to make."
"Ah... See you at the next expedition."
Leaving the ecstatic Finn behind, I collected the thread and headed straight to the workshop.
"I've got other materials too... Let's give this a try."
I picked out the best of the materials scattered around the workshop.
"A Black Rhinoceros horn... This should do it."
I ground down the large black horn.
As I worked, I could feel that the Black Rhinoceros horn had just the right balance of elasticity and toughness.
The thread was elastic too, and it didn't break easily.
"...This should be usable enough."
I drilled a hole in the ground horn and strung the thread through it.
"Good."
Throwing swords one by one was a pain anyway, and this would let me drive them in harder than before while improving accuracy too.
"...Come to think of it, Monsterphilia is coming up soon, isn't it?"
Monsterphilia was a festival held in the eastern district of Orario, centered on the Second District where the circular arena stood. It was also one of the famous tourist attractions of the labyrinth city, a kind of circus that trained monsters taken from the Dungeon.
"Hmm..."
I didn't exactly have a hobby of watching monsters, so maybe I should just stay home and rest?