"Meko!" Hotaru swished her glance to the brunette.
"What? Is there any reason to beat around the bush here?"
The bottle of wine was planted onto the table, the glass of wine not picked up by the mayor. "So, that's the angle you want to play at?" Mayor Gestryle sat upright, Jack letting out a sigh.
"I'm not in full disagreement, but it's obvious to see through your façade," Jotou knitted her brows.
"You too?" Hotaru gulped, "Respectfully Mayor Gestryle… they're not wrong. The way you're presenting it seems more so for selfish gain than for the people of Kria…"
The mayor got up and step by step walked towards the window, "Quite the view, isn't it? I need to keep it that way…"
"In what way?" Asobi tilted her head.
"In peace of course."
"Peace? Have you been down there at night? Velatos-" Jotou's explanation was cut off with a glare from the mayor.
"You think I'm unaware of the Velatos Case?"
Hotaru's brows furrowed, "For almost six months now sir, you've been known to be in inaction. No proper measures have been taken by the law.
Most things have been handed off to the Krialin, the Maleficos Ordinate and the Adventurers Guild. You have yet to make an official statement to the public," she defended Jotou.
"The way anyone would see it, it's like you're trying to avoid the problem," Fumeko continued.
"Peace must be kept," the mayor walked up to his desk and turned off his radio, "Do you know how many homes in Kria have this? Do you know how many telephones there are in Kria?
Around three point three million and counting for the population—seventy; seventy telephones. Luxinor has been advancing beyond comprehension.
Cravolta has its main city all powered. Intel has shown that the Trailon Regime has been advancing on their technology; canons mounted on metallic vehicles that run on tracks through terrains."
"Tanks?" Jotou interrupted.
"How would you know that?" Jack was quick to question while the mayor peered over from shuffling his papers.
"Long story… I'm from another world…" 'Shit… Was I not supposed to say that?'
"Really?" Jack said in intrigue.
"Let's get back to the matter, that's a whole other conundrum. You were saying Mayor Gestryle?" Hotaru mediated.
The mayor walked over, "If I comment too much on the situation the people will be put at an unease, cause a slight panic, then it becomes rumours and mass panic."
The mayor picked up the glass of wine, "Then things start to shake," he wobbled the glass, the drink rippling. "The panic causes stress, stress becomes worry and fear.
It would start affecting businesses and places of work," he shook the glass faster, the drink now sloshing from side to side, "Soon, the economy will begin to," a few drops flew out onto the table.
"Trickle out… And Kria in the strategic position, like a fruit hanging from a branch, would be ripe for the picking. Forces will start seeing weakness and go in to begin seizing the market and control the economy through imports.
The people start becoming dependent and the economy would depend more and more on them until Kria will be forced to give away more and more of its profits and rights till Kria is completely dependent.
And it's not just the Regimes; Cravolta and Hefaloss would be competing as well, while we can do nothing but watch and bet on which market would be the winner.
Keeping the panic at bay, keeps the city afloat," he took a sip of his wine.
"And so, I've made up my mind from yesterday's events to expedite the date of my announcement; 'Electricity to Kria'. For too long now, it has been running on oil lamps and magic.
A festival of lanterns will be held, sending them off into the sea to say goodbye to a bygone era of Kria as we move into a modern age," he pitched with a grin.
"The problem is sir, that's too little too late… Panic has already settled in and the only way to deal with it is facing the problem head on and making a statement," Hotaru responded.
"People need to be kept in high spirits. If our morale breaks, Kria breaks. This will ensure that it keeps mass panic at bay while we work behind the scenes to solve this issue," the mayor argued.
"That's assuming that everyone will be moths to a flame, forgetting everything around them. You're counting on everyone being sheep. Mindless, like zombies.
People have already suffered and with what happened last night especially, it's gonna be impossible to forget and move on," Jotou sided.
"It snowed in Kria and your plan's gonna be announcing some streetlamps?" Fumeko narrowed her eyes.
"Enough of this, I did not ask you here for your council. No matter; your title is established and will be announced regardless of your consent. After all, you can't stop the press," the mayor finished his glass.
"The people need to be kept in a sane state of mind and that's that. You're nothing more than something to motivate them to feel safe while we deal with the issue.
And by the sounds of things, we will be working towards the same goal regardless. We both simply want peace and safety from the Velatos Case.
It's just now, you lose some benefits you could have gained; pity," the mayor walked up to the window, "Jack, if you will," he spoke, mild annoyance floating in his tone.
Jack sighed, holding his arms behind his back, "We planned for this outcome if it ever arose," his eyes shifted slightly.
Fumeko, "We? Or was it you because he thought he could manipulate us that easily?" sneered.
"Shh!" Hotaru shushed.
Jack continued to declare, "It's a shame we won't be working as close as expected. However, moral support will be given to Ms Howllett and her party's endeavours.
We hope that we can call on you when times indeed get dire and we will do the best in our power if you are ever in need. However, by us extending our help, you partially sign the contract through a verbal footnote," he explained.
Hotaru stood up, her ears pricked, "First of all, maybe change such a policy. Verbal contracts have long been outdated and disused in every country except Kria.
Second of all, speaking of offers, we still have unclaimed boons able to be called upon."
The mayor groaned… "Well on timing Ms Kinoshita. The mayor already removed that decree this morning, so I assume these are past vanquishes," Jack replied.
"We already used one when me and Meko arrived so, that leaves three normal ones and the one from last night left unclaimed," Jotou recalled.
The mayor walked around to his desk, a sour look and fingers tightening into his palms whilst he did, "Since you cannot confirm the kill on last night's velatos, I will reduce it to three."
"Cannot confirm!? There's an entire building being reconstructed and city that echoed with thunder!" Fumeko got up, raising her voice.
"Since no body was recovered and all previous velatos have been as such, this technicality will not be considered," the mayor decreed without a second thought.
Hotaru held Fumeko back, "We'll take your generous offer," the redhead forced a smile, her fangs glaring.
The disgruntled mayor sat in his seat, "Spit it out then."
"So, we each get three boons?" Asobi hopped up.
"Did all four of you kill three velatos each?" the mayor raised a brow.
"It was more so a party effort," Jotou responded, still sat; glaring but still calm. 'There's no point arguing, we can't win.'
"Then three boons all together," the mayor ruled.
"What? Previously, it did not matter how many members took it down, each person-"
"The decree for boons upon a confirmed velatos kill was a verbal, public contract and as the holder of such a contract any clarifications can be made by him," Jack interrupted Hotaru.
It was now obvious to Jotou why verbal contracts were an outdated practice… Why clarify specifics when they can be discussed when they come up? 'This is ridiculous.'
"Well, now that we have all the specifics; what are your three boons?" the mayor smirked.
Hotaru and Fumeko calmed down, peering to Jotou and Asobi in silent debate. Jotou stood up after sharing a glance with Hotaru, "A home," she stated.
"A home?" Jack questioned.
"A house to stay at; some place decent, not in some cramped street corner," Jotou clarified.
The mayor pondered, "There's many unowned residences in High-Town, this is an easy boon," he granted.
"Actually sir," Jack halted, "Since Ms Howllett and her party's endeavours will be presumably between Kria Estate and the Adventurers Guild and most of their wanderings are in eastern Kria, it would be better to offer a midpoint location for a home."
The mayor gazed over, "Do we have any properties in mind?"
Jack went through his thoughts, "There is an old creamery no longer in use. The previous owners had a house and it's far away from much, where the Thundering Blade can work in peace instead of being mobbed by the public."
"Perfect, there's your home. What else?" the mayor turned his radio back on and the cassette began to play.
"Full citizenship for Jotou Howllett, Fumeko Namora and Asobi… well, just Asobi. This is for easing our movement in legal matters and seen no longer as 'foreigners' under the law," Hotaru put.
The mayor once again went to Jack for council, "It can be done sir. Ms Jotou Howllett will be slightly more inconvenient given the situation of dead or alive, but it can be done," Jack confirmed.
The mayor glanced back to them, wordlessly. All of them looked at one another, thinking of their last boon… except Fumeko who stood rubbing her chin, watching the floor.
"A special interview with and a VIP tour of the Maleficos Ordinate," Fumeko asked for.
Hotaru and Jotou were about to stop her the moment she opened her lips but, "Huh?" they both verbalized.
"What? You thought I was gonna ask for a pile of gold?" Fumeko queried… "I was going to, but I thought of something else," she admitted, darting her eyes away.
"It's just,"
"Why do we need to see the Maleficos Ordinate?" Asobi finished Hotaru's sentence.
"Trust me on this. I can explain later, but first, can that be arranged?" Fumeko looked to the mayor.
"I trust ya," Jotou sided, glancing back to the mayor.
The mayor shrugged to Jack. "Hm… May be difficult, but with the title of the Thundering Blade, it might be doable. I will need to make a few calls," Jack stated.
"Tell them Mayor Gestryle ordered it," the mayor sat up and interlocked his fingers, "If that is all?"
"I suppose so," Jotou's eyes sparkled the tiniest glint of yellow around her dark brown irises as she eyed the mayor.
"Alright then. I will send a clean-up service immediately and you can move into your new residence within dusk. You may pick your rooms and settle in. I will send someone to pick you up to the area once it's ready," Jack finalized.