Revive Rome: Wait! Why not make the empress fall in love with me first?
Chapter 177 - 81 Negotiation

Chapter 177: Chapter 81 Negotiation

What’s this even about! Andrea wanted to argue, "First, we only took 250 pounds; second, we needed that 250 pounds to support the team."

However, he couldn’t utter these words, because it was obvious that once he brought up these reasons, the other party could simply shut him down with a sentence:

It’s none of my business.

I was only responsible for helping you find Fengkexim, so you need to deliver on your promise. As for how much bounty you obtained afterward, what the costs and profits are, it’s none of my business.

What was worse, the Spartans surrounding them had started to murmur among themselves.

As one of the few large mercenary groups, Steel Cross certainly had to consider its reputation. If this had been in the wilderness, Andrea wouldn’t have wasted words with Aske—just not killing him would have been a mercy.

However, this was Lagonia Plain, the Sparta City State, one of the greatest cities on the Sirius Peninsula. If the rumor that "Steel Cross Mercenary Corps reneged on a payment" got out, especially spread by the always straightforward and honest Spartans...

Andrea could nearly imagine how the reputation of Steel Cross’s eastern division in the region of Sirius would plummet.

"Cough, that being said, the Steel Cross Mercenary Group won’t default on payment," Andrea said, his heart bleeding. It wasn’t that he begrudged the 5 pounds but rather, he hadn’t felt this much frustration in a long time.

Except for that time in Stanimaka when someone else snatched the monster loot they were after and then leaked a message accusing them of initiating the conflict, causing him and Matthews to distrust and calculate against each other, leaving them utterly drained just to complete the mission.

Counting out coins equivalent to 5 pounds, he tossed the coin purse to Aske and looked up at the sky with cold indifference, resolved to not exchange another word with the leader of The Azure Longsword.

Next second, the Spartan King on the throne spoke.

"This mutation, we plan to cooperate with The Azure Longsword; we won’t trouble Steel Cross any further."

Andrea: !!!

He had just decided to cut off any further dealings with Aske, and now this happened!

As the leader of Steel Cross’s eastern division, facing the situation of a business opportunity being snatched away, by reason and sentiment, he couldn’t just play deaf and dumb, but had to reluctantly smile and say,

"I don’t mean to interfere with your state affairs, but perhaps this warrants further prudent consideration? The Snow Monsters on Taigetes Mountain must be dealt with by experienced Transcendents..."

"I think we can collaborate," Aske added.

Andrea looked at him in surprise.

"As Squad Leader Andrea stated, the combat power of Steel Cross Mercenary Corps is formidable, an indispensable asset for the Sparta City State in addressing this mutant threat," Aske articulated with subtlety.

The Spartans around them started whispering amongst themselves; no Spartan Warrior spoke up in opposition since Agislaos had been easily defeated by the mercenaries across from them, but judging by their expressions, the majority were still disgruntled.

The two Spartan Kings on the throne, however, understood the underlying message of Aske’s words: Steel Cross had brought many people, and even if you plan to close your doors and deal with the mutation yourselves, if they caused a ruckus from the outside, it would be enough trouble for you.

"Of course," Aske changed tack, "it would be unreasonable to ask Sparta to pay. Didn’t the Steel Cross Mercenary Corps come here for Spiritual Material? If you want the Spiritual Material, you can’t ask for more money."

"That won’t do," Andrea said, aware he had asked for too much but still had to argue his case forcefully, "according to mercenary code, payment for the mission is one thing, and any extra loot belongs to those who dealt the killing blow; these are two separate matters."

"If that’s the case, Sparta has no need to hire Steel Cross," Aske countered, "Just recently, Sparta sent troops to Olympia to help fend off a Crusader attack."

"As thanks, Sparta could entirely request arcane assistance from the Arcane Mages of Olympia."

"Heh," Andrea scoffed, "It’s at least a four-day journey from Sparta to Olympia City and back; how many casualties will you have suffered here by then?"

"Three days at most," Aske replied calmly, "and besides, Sparta could also hire Steel Cross to defend the city."

Hire us to defend the city? Andrea froze upon hearing this.

The two Spartan Kings on the throne laughed.

Hiring to defend a city and hiring to clear out the mountains seemed to be battling snow monsters in both cases, but they were worlds apart in reality.

Assuming there were 100 snow monsters in the mountains, at most, they could only kill 2 or 3 during the city defense. The Steel Cross Mercenary Corps would actually only get pure coin compensation.

This was far from their original plan where they intended to get both coins and spiritual materials.

Once the mages from Olin City arrived, the Spartans and arcane mages would go into the mountains for a sweep, leaving the Steel Cross Mercenaries with nothing in the end.

What if they didn’t accept the hire? That would be akin to burning bridges. After all, you, the Steel Cross Mercenaries, brought a bunch of people over claiming to want to do business with Sparta, and after negotiations, you refuse the job?

Then you might as well leave. What, you won’t go? Then what do you intend to do by staying? Are you harboring ulterior motives? This is Spartan territory!

Simply put, the Steel Cross Mercenaries had come for the spiritual materials of the snow monsters, but Andrea attempted to package this as "helping the Spartans" to knock some additional coins out of them.

Aske used this to his advantage, going with the flow. Since you’ve offered to help Sparta, then let Sparta hire you to defend the city. We’ll pay you, but forget about the spiritual materials in the mountains.

This logic was a bit convoluted for the average Spartan brute; however, the two Kings on the throne were cunning and understood the intricacies very well, promptly agreeing by saying:

"Indeed, although the Spartans can handle the mutants themselves, we welcome the aid from the Steel Cross Mercenary Corps who have come from afar."

With a simple sentence, the actions of the Steel Cross Mercenary Corps were defined as "aiding." Since it was aid, there was no room for business talk—it would hurt feelings.

The expressions of the surrounding Spartans eased as well. Aiding sounded much more pleasant and didn’t threaten Spartan pride.

Seeing this, Andrea’s eyelids twitched, feeling the once secure advantageous situation slipping from his grasp; yet, he couldn’t make any rebuttal.

Once he said, "I’m not here to aid," "I’m here to do business," the Spartans could immediately retort, "Fine, we’ll hire you to defend the city while we and the mages from Olin City go into the mountains," and then they could forget about going into the mountains themselves.

If they insisted on going into the mountains, it would seem like harboring ill intentions and attempting backstabbing, making the Spartans turn against them—something the Steel Cross Mercenaries definitely wouldn’t do.

Their original negotiation tactic was to insist, "It takes time to seek help from Olin City, how will you prevent the snow monsters from attacking during that time," to force Sparta to hire them to deal with the mutants.

Yet Aske’s single mention of "hiring you to defend the city" resolved that.

Andrea’s face almost contorted in frustration, his fists clenching and then releasing, repeatedly.

Sanity told him that the extortion of money was off the table now; what he should do was to gracefully let it go and secure the deal as "aiding" to prevent any further complications.

But he truly felt stifled! He had faced The Azure Longsword Mercenaries only twice and both times he came away with bad experiences! Scammed so badly, each time!

Forced to submit again, Andrea was truly unwilling!

"Forget about it," Herman said, resting his hand on his shoulder and speaking indifferently, "Once your cards are revealed, negotiation is undoubtedly a lost cause."

The so-called cards were, of course, the Steel Cross Mercenaries’ true intention for the spiritual materials of the snow monsters.

"We have no other choice," Andrea sighed.

"What I’m more interested in," Herman fixed his gaze on Aske’s figure, his eyes gradually sharpening.

"How did he figure out our real purpose?"