Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: A Perfectly Legal Transaction with No Legal Flaws 1
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A building located in the central market of the city.
Even taking into account that it was situated in a commercial district, the place was fairly large, and at this hour, a group of people had gathered there.
Six people of all ages and genders were seated without distinction.
One elderly man, two middle-aged men, two young men, and one young woman.
However, despite their differences in age and gender, at this moment, they shared several common traits.
One was that all six of them were dressed in extremely luxurious attire, befitting their considerable wealth.
And the other was that, to varying degrees, all six wore serious expressions as they held their positions here.
They looked as if just being in this place stirred up a whirlwind of complicated emotions.
Some kept gulping down water from their cups as if their throats were parched, and one was even sweating profusely, unable to hide his deep anxiety.
A heavy silence hung over them for a while like that.
Then...
Unable to bear the stuffiness any longer, one person finally spoke up.
"Um... Is it really okay for us to be sitting here like this?"
The first to speak was the youngest man among the group.
In response, another young man sitting with them opened his mouth with a voice laced with anxiety, as if he'd been waiting for the moment.
"Honestly, I have no idea. We've benefited greatly from Mr. Santana all this time, but even so, doing business with someone who's been excommunicated..."
"Quiet down, you young fools. What can we do when you're so spineless?"
"As you know, Santana holds a ton of our transaction records and ledgers. No matter how sharp that archbishop's blade may be, if Santana decides to go down swinging, we won't get out unscathed either. Don't you get that?"
The middle-aged man snapped at the young men with clear irritation in his heated tone.
However, the elderly man who had been silently watching them spoke up in a calm, steady voice.
"Is that what you were thinking? Heh, this is something. Even if you're branch managers, if that's all it takes to scare you into showing up here, it's a bit disappointing to this old man."
"B-But Branch Chief, isn't that the truth?"
"Between us, some of those transactions include items that are legally problematic. Santana's leaving this place soon anyway, so it doesn't matter, but if he decides to blow the whistle on his way out..."
"Haa..."
The middle-aged man voiced his unease, and the man called the Branch Chief let out a small sigh in response.
Then, slowly, he turned his gaze toward the young woman seated across from him.
Long, glossy blue hair, deep blue eyes, a strikingly alluring face, and a well-proportioned figure—a beauty.
Looking at her, the Branch Chief bowed his head politely with a voice full of respect.
"My apologies, Miss Amalia. It seems my guidance has been lacking in many ways."
"No, it's only natural in a situation where people feel cornered. Especially with hard evidence like ledgers in hand. That said..."
With those words, a hint of interest crept into her serious demeanor as she looked at the old man before her and asked.
"From what I can see, Branch Chief, you don't seem particularly afraid of meeting that excommunicated Holy Knight. Do you have some ace up your sleeve?"
"Haha, of course not. An old believer like me wouldn't have any such thing. It's just that age has dulled my senses, that's all."
As the person with the strongest influence in this city among everyone present, his words should be taken half as a joke.
A man whose power even the archbishop overseeing not just this city but the entire region couldn't trifle with lightly.
However...
At the very least, the other men present vaguely sensed that his attitude wasn't solely due to his own power.
And so, the Branch Chief continued in a composed voice, looking at her... Amalia.
"But even without that, there's no real need to feel afraid, is there? As you already know, Miss."
"Hee hee... Yes, just as you say, Branch Chief."
They exchanged words only they could understand, quietly savoring an intellectual sense of superiority with smiles on their faces.
Even as the other branch managers watched, seemingly oblivious, these two clearly knew.
The reason they had gathered here at this moment...
To be precise,
The reason the ex-Holy Knight and one of their most important clients, Santana, had called them all together. They had already grasped it roughly.
'He has about four days left before his excommunication is processed and he has to leave. Just packing up and preparing to go would keep him plenty busy.'
'Yet a man like that went out of his way to summon us all here. That must mean he wants to do some kind of deal with us.'
It might simply be a request to buy his land and house, but the two knew it wouldn't be that straightforward.
No matter how rich they were in this city, it was impossible to scrape together enough cash short-term to buy everything Santana owned.
If he just wanted to sell off a portion, he wouldn't have sent letters hinting subtly and gathered them like this—he'd have just done an impromptu deal.
'A man short on time going to these lengths... There must be something.'
> 'He's the guy who's made profits in ways we never imagined, using unique transaction methods we've never known about. He's sure to pull something special this time too. At the very least, things won't go the way that archbishop wants...'
Despite his status as a Holy Knight, which seemed worlds apart from commerce, Santana's exceptional talent in contracts and deals over the past year had astounded even them, who lived off trade.
It had brought a level of freshness and surprise that drew genuine admiration.
Honestly, if this hadn't ended in the extreme case of excommunication but merely being kicked out of the Holy Knights, they would have scouted him for their merchant company on the spot.
With that, feeling a flicker of anticipation for what bomb this man had prepared, they calmly waited for today's protagonist to arrive.
And a short while later...
"Mr. Santana has arrived."
The voice of a servant came from beyond the door.
Those in the room began to feel a slight tension.
Then, their eyes caught sight of Santana entering the conference room alongside a beautiful Holy Knight.
"Thank you all so much for gathering here despite your busy schedules."
Santana spoke with the usual smile on his lips.
As they watched, the branch managers' faces showed stiff smiles, while the Branch Chief and Amalia greeted him with smiles just as serene as his own.
After a brief round of greetings, Santana took his seat.
Immediately after... he wiped the smile from his face and addressed everyone in a serious tone.
"Well then, since you're all busy people, I'll get straight to the point."
With that, he opened the bag he'd brought and pulled out a thick stack of documents.
The moment they saw it, Amalia and the Branch Chief's faces took on the expression of "just as expected."
"The reason I've come here is this... To liquidate all my accumulated assets right here, right now."