Perfect World [EN]: Chapter 126

“Well, that’s a sensitive issue, so I can’t tell you. Instead of lowering the price to 30 million Krang, how about giving us 100 million Krang later?”

Bumseok looked at him with a sulky face.

“Are you kidding me right now? Why do you keep raising the price every time we make a deal? Do you think I’m a pushover?”

“But, didn’t you raise the condition that Agelia would participate in the World League game?”

“Hoo. You make a good point. In other words, you’re saying that Agelia can’t grow into a World League-level gladiator. It seems that the amount I have to provide later has increased from 10 million Krang to 100 million Krang just for one game appearance.”

“No. Gods Knights doesn’t transfer gladiators who belong to them to other teams, right? In other words, they have to rise with the team, so isn’t that possibility very low?”

Bumseok immediately retorted.

“Why? Are you saying that our team has to rise together to participate in the World League? Gods Knights also leases gladiators to other top teams.”

“Of course, I know. But, you wouldn’t consider leasing while thinking about paying 100 million Krang, would you?”

Bumseok had nothing to say about that. He certainly couldn’t push for a lease while offering 100 million Krang.

In the end, he decided to start working on canceling the option contract at this point.

“Hey. Don’t do that, just take out all the option contracts.”

“Why not?”

“Isn’t there too much of a gap in our opinions? Let’s just do a lump-sum contract. It’ll be much easier to reach an agreement that way. Frankly, option contracts are confusing and have conditions attached, so I feel uneasy, as if Agelia hasn’t completely become my gladiator.”

Elliot nodded. Well, right now, a lump-sum contract was closer to a settlement.

“Then, would you consider a deal for 45 million Krang?”

“That’s out of the question. I’d rather not make a deal than buy Agelia at that price. Originally, elves are sold for 35 million Krang, but if we buy her at that price just because our team doesn’t hire gladiators without an owner, the same situation will happen in future deals. I have to buy many gladiators in the future, and if I keep getting taken advantage of like this, I could lose not just 10 million Krang, but hundreds of millions, even billions of Krang. No matter how attached I am to this absurd deal because of my connection with Agelia, I can’t bear that much loss.”

Elliot flinched at the unexpected firm stance. Gods Knights was the only team that wanted to buy Agelia right now. If he gave up, they wouldn’t have a suitable team to pass her on to. It seemed like it was time to take a step back. In fact, he had been suggesting high prices all along, but he never really thought she would be sold at this price. Elliot’s goal was to initially call for a high price and get as close as possible to 35 million Krang.

“Hmm. You had such difficulties. Alright. Then, how about 40 million Krang? This is also the best I can do for you.”

Bumseok immediately snorted. That price was absolutely unacceptable to him.

“We can’t accept 40 million Krang or 45 million Krang.”

“This is troubling. You’re being so firm, I don’t know what to do. Then, tell me the amount you have in mind. As long as you don’t suggest an absurd amount like before, I’ll try to match it as much as possible.”

The amount Bumseok suggested earlier was 25 million Krang. He only brought up this amount to crush Elliot’s stubbornness, and he didn’t actually intend to buy Agelia at this price. He was willing to make a deal if it was 35 million Krang.

“How about 30 million Krang?”

Elliot made a long whining sound. He couldn’t accept that amount. Even though it was in the same 30 million range, the difference of 5 million Krang was almost 20% of the price set for Agelia.

“We still can’t accept that price range. How about 38 million Krang?”

Bumseok slightly raised one corner of his mouth. It wasn’t a satisfactory price, but he could feel that their opinions were being compromised.

“How many times have I told you? I absolutely can’t buy Agelia at a higher price than other teams in this deal. Alright. I’ll give you 32 million.”

“36 million.”

“32.5 million.”

Elliot looked at Bumseok with strange eyes. At this rate, it was clear that the deal would be made below 35 million Krang. The amount he was about to call was 35 million Krang, and Bumseok’s trump card was even lower. In this case, it was necessary to strike at once with the price the other party wanted to solidify it.

“34.5 million. I absolutely can’t hand over Agelia for anything less.”

With these words, silence fell between them. Elliot was avoiding eye contact with a firm face as if there was no reason to discuss it further, and Bumseok was trying to figure out if what he had just said was sincere.

And after a while, Bumseok, who couldn’t take any more risks, pretended to look at his watch. It wasn’t a bad amount, so he was planning to leave the rest to Esther and withdraw from the deal. If it turned into a battle of pride, the negotiation itself could fall through, so it was necessary to end it at this point.

“Ah. Oh dear. It’s already this late. No matter how I look at it, I have to leave urgently.”

At those words, Elliot quickly got up and said.

“What are you talking about? How can you just leave in the middle of a deal?”

“Didn’t I tell you before? I have urgent business to attend to, so I can’t negotiate for a long time. That’s why we met this morning to start the deal.”

“What urgent business do you have? Is it more important than buying Agelia?”

“Well, it’s not, but I need to get back as soon as possible. I escaped from the national team training camp a little after midnight yesterday in our Airbend time, and if I don’t go back by now, I’ll definitely get caught. So, please understand.”

Elliot looked at him with a bewildered expression. He knew through investigation that Bumseok had been selected for the national team, but he never thought he would escape the training camp for today’s deal.

“Then, what happens to the deal?”

“What do you mean what happens? It seems like we’ve reached a rough agreement, so Esther over there will take care of the rest. It’ll probably end well, so don’t worry.”

Then, Elliot looked at Esther and smiled faintly. He was relieved that the picky Bumseok was gone and that young girl would be his opponent. No, he even wondered if he had brought up 34.5 million Krang too soon. He thought he could have extracted a larger amount by taking the soul out of Esther, who would be alone, if he had dragged on a little longer.

“Then, I guess there’s no choice. Go ahead.”

Bumseok nodded, got up from his seat, and looked at Esther.

“Esther. You have to make this deal happen, so don’t just insist on our claims. Got it?”

“Yes. I understand. Don’t worry and go.”

“Then, good luck.”

As he hurriedly opened the reception room door and left, Esther smiled brightly and looked at Elliot. And after activating her trait, ‘Genius of Deals,’ she started the conversation.

Bumseok, who hurriedly arrived at the Airbend national team training camp, received the rising morning sun with his whole body and diligently did jumping jacks. He was supposed to have gone out for a morning jog and come back, so he had to engrave a tired look on his body even if he didn’t sweat. And when his body was somewhat enveloped in heat, he quickened his pace and ran towards the training camp’s main gate.

‘Hoo~ Esther has to do well.’

He believed that the deal would be completed with Esther’s ability, but he couldn’t help but worry. Agelia was an essential presence for the future of Gods Knights. When the team goes to the Central League, Erpina has to retire and work as a team scout, and Agelia was the only one who could follow in her footsteps.

“Well, Esther should do well enough.”

He decided to trust Esther for now. It was just a matter of using her traits to reduce the amount from the proposed price, so there was no way she couldn’t do it. Bumseok, thinking it was an unnecessary worry, waved his hand at an elf guard standing at the main gate and entered the training camp.

“Oh, Bumseok.”

Suddenly, a low-toned male voice was heard from somewhere. Although he didn’t see the figure, Bumseok frowned sharply. Since the national team training camp was mainly composed of elves, there were hardly any men, so he immediately sensed that the one who called him was the coach. Of course, there were also office workers and association executives, but no one called him by his first name.

He let out a long sigh and turned his head in the direction the sound came from.

“Ah. Coach. What’s going on?”

“Where have you been?”

“Well, can’t you tell by looking?”

“Looking at the clothes and expression you’re wearing, it looks like you’ve been out for a morning jog.”

Bumseok gave a slight smile and said.

“Thank you for seeing it that way.”

Clark, frowning, gestured and called.

“Come over here.”

Bumseok, approaching with a running gait, immediately said.

“What’s going on? You said you didn’t want to see my face.”

“That’s true. But I have something to say.”

“Go ahead. I’m not deaf, so I can hear you well enough.”

Clark, with his arms folded, stared at him.

“You will participate in the second team’s tactical training and organizational adaptation training from today.”

Bumseok scratched his ear as if he doubted he had heard correctly. Tactical training and organizational adaptation training were very basic schedules for all national team gladiators, but they had been an exception for him until now.

“Why do I have to do that? Are you thinking of letting me participate in a game?”

“Depending on the situation.”

Bumseok brought his face close to Clark’s.

“Did you eat something wrong? Why are you talking nonsense like this from the morning?”

“Why? Do you not like it?”

Strictly speaking, he didn’t dislike it. He felt good that Clark was lowering his pride, and since he had become a national team gladiator anyway, he also wanted to participate in the game.

“Well. A gladiator has to do what the coach tells them to do. Yes. I will participate in the training.”

“Instead, the position is the commander gladiator. Can you do well?”

Instantly, Bumseok’s expression crumpled. He had never played a game as a commander before. A national team game was not a joke, and he was asking a gladiator to take on an unfamiliar position, so he doubted if the coach was in his right mind.

“Are you kidding me right now? I have never played any position other than vanguard and mid-tier. I have never received in-depth training on the commander position separately. And you’re telling me to be a commander gladiator?”

“It doesn’t matter. All you have to do as a commander gladiator is to be protected by your teammates and run away like crazy when things get urgent. It’s a perfect role model for you.”

‘Is this guy trying to start something? What! He’s picking a fight with every word!’

Bumseok clenched his fist. All he was saying was to stay put and run away when the team was in danger? It was a tactic often used by weak teams in national team games, but Bumseok, who was actually the main player, couldn’t help but be dissatisfied. Usually, when this tactic was adopted, the opposing team was criticized quite a bit, and the targets were the coach and the commander gladiator, who was the actual protagonist. In other words, Bumseok himself had to endure a lot of insults.

However, in the World Cup qualifiers, which concluded with a total of 6 home and away games, each game was too precious. If they played a full-scale war with their own strengths in a game they had to draw, they would not be able to face the local fans. Of course, someone had to take on this role and perform it.

“Alright. Well. Someone has to do it. But why do I have to do it? As I said a little while ago, I have no history of being a commander, let alone a rearguard.”

“If you’re so curious, think back to the Spring Lima City Athletics Competition held in late spring last year.”

He seemed to be referring to the time when he outstripped Agelia and won the 200-meter race. He had been desperately hiding the fact that he had made money through illegal gambling at the time, and it was questionable how that guy had noticed. Until now, no reporters had been able to link last summer’s 200-meter winner with himself.

“Hoo~ How did you know that?”

It was very simple. Other people didn’t know because they hadn’t tried to link them, but Clark knew the common denominator of Agelia, so he could find it quickly. Bumseok had been briefly exposed to the media at the time of the victory, so if you searched with Agelia, it would come out right away. As the person who accidentally beat her, a promising star in the athletics world, in the city competition.

“I found out by chance. I was searching through past sports electronic newspapers and unexpectedly saw your face, which I didn’t even want to see, in the athletics section.”

Bumseok realized that he couldn’t back out anymore. The role of the commander [a gladiator who focuses on evasion and strategy] was a role that the fastest person had to take on. He was the most qualified person. If he didn’t know, it would be fine, but since the coach had noticed, he had no choice but to take on the role. If he refused here, he would only become a narrow-minded guy.

“Alright. I’ll do it. Then, can I go now?”

“Okay. If you understand, go.”

As Bumseok turned around and walked towards the training building, Clark smiled slyly. He had been slightly worried about whether to let him experience a national game for the future, but an unexpected opportunity had come. The commander gladiator was thoroughly protected by various fellow gladiators, including the rearguard, so the risk of injury was greatly reduced.

============================ Author’s Notes ============================

The weather is getting quite chilly. It’s getting burdensome to take a shower without turning on the hot water. Everyone, be careful not to catch a cold. I’ll see you again tomorrow. Then, I hope everyone has a good weekend………