Chapter 249: Mediator Oshiras Begins the Discussion

* * *

The clean, white-based interior of the room has only one round table set up in the center.

This is the conference room.

Originally, it's a room for government officials to hold meetings, but when conducting case mediation, related parties are also gathered in this room to have discussions.

This time was no exception, and a variety of unique individuals surrounded the round table to solve the custody issue that had been filed, each looking at Oshiras.

It's the same as always.

Just conducting mediation as usual.

Mediator Oshiras, having made up his mind, tapped the bundle of documents on the round table to organize them, and stood up with a gentle smile on his face without showing any sign of the stomach pain that continued to cause him damage.

"Well then, everyone. Thank you for taking the trouble to come to our office on this cold day. We would like to start the mediation meeting to resolve the custody issue that you have all filed a complaint about."

While saying that, he once again looked around at the attendees.

The complexions of the attendees varied.

The couple sitting to Oshiras's right had pale faces.

The man in golden armor sitting on the window side in front of him was smoking a cigarette and had a brazen, relaxed expression.

The woman next to him... the Supreme Commander of the Adventurer's Guild, whom Oshiras was most wary of and feared, was smiling eerily.

Further next to her, on Oshiras's left, sat the black-haired, black-eyed Dark Spiky Rock... Girl, the subject of the current dispute, silently continuing to devour a mountain of Mekena Sandwiches.

No matter how you look at it, she's eating dozens of servings worth.

Just how much does she eat?

"Ah... Ahem, my name is Oshiras. I am the mediator who will assist in your discussion and problem-solving. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

After saying that and bowing his head, Oshiras sat back down in his chair.

"Well then, from now on, I will remain seated while talking. As I mentioned earlier, I am a mediator. My role is to moderate your discussion from a neutral standpoint, and at times, refer to national laws, territorial laws, past precedents, or in the case of this dispute, the oracle given by the God of Family, to provide advice to you all. First of all, is everything clear up to this point?"

He paused for a moment and looked around the room again.

Everyone was quietly listening to him.

...This is the important part, in a way.

"And I want you to understand that once you have requested mediation from this office regarding this matter, you must accept and abide by the decisions made here. It's as written in the affidavit you signed in advance. Is that clear?"

The participants around the round table seemed to have no objections to this either.

Rather, in Oshiras's experience, there had never been an objection.

Without fail, the participants always abide by the matters decided in this mediation, no matter how unpalatable the conclusion may be.

Because that is the law.

However, while the law demands compliance with the mediation content, it does not admonish harassment towards the mediator who compiled the mediation.

That's why the position of Oshiras and others is very delicate... ah, ow... ow, ow, ow...

"Well then, since there don't seem to be any particular issues, we would like to begin the discussion on this matter right away. Let's start with self-introductions, going clockwise from my right."

Oshiras urged the participants to speak, smiling while secretly rubbing his stomach.

* * *

"Well then, I'll go first."

The one who stood up saying that was the husband of the couple sitting to Oshiras's right.

He was staring straight at Oshiras with his chest out and a dignified posture, but the hand he placed on his waist was trembling slightly.

He was probably nervous.

And slightly behind her husband's standing up, the wife also stood up timidly with a pale face.

"My name is Parirot. I run a magic lamp store in this town of Serelirin. Next to me is my wife, Rana. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Parirot introduced himself concisely, bowed his head, and sat down with his wife.

Oshiras originally knew about this couple.

Because he had requested Parirot's Magic Lamp Store to install the magic lamps in his home.

He didn't know much about the wife, but he remembered the husband being a magic lamp shop owner known for his cheerful personality and meticulous work.

"It's my turn next, huh!?"

The one who spoke in a loud voice after seeing the Parirot couple sit down was the man in golden armor.

"My name is Arcus! My alias is 'Golden,' a top-class adventurer! I think I'm a bit of a well-known adventurer, but do I need to introduce myself?"

Arcus crossed his arms confidently while remaining seated, grinned, and exhaled cigarette smoke forcefully with a "phew."

"Of course, as a top-class adventurer, I have also heard of your name, but..."

With a troubled smile, Oshiras urged Arcus to continue his self-introduction.

Talking as if everyone knows about him.

An arrogant attitude.

Not to Oshiras's liking.

Also, smoking cigarettes incessantly indoors lowered Arcus's evaluation by one level in Oshiras's mind.

Oshiras was a non-smoker.

And in the first place, this room was non-smoking.

There was even a notice posted in a relatively visible location.

However, Oshiras couldn't point it out now because he didn't want to create unnecessary friction.

"Guhaha! I see, do I need to? Umm, let's see, oh yeah, if we're talking about blood relations, I'm Emi's uncle. In other words, I'm the brother of that lady's previous husband!"

Arcus said such a thing without any reservation while laughing heartily.

Hearing that, Rana's body started trembling.

Parirot glared at Arcus while tightly hugging his wife's shoulders.

However, Arcus showed no sign of noticing other people's reactions.

He was a man lacking in delicacy.

"So, you see. I'm a blood relative and willing to take care of her. I've got money too! In other words, I'm the one suitable to be Emi's guardian! That's how it is, guhaha! That's all!"

When his self-introduction was over, Arcus started smoking again.

Oshiras was completely exasperated by his behavior, though he hid his inner thoughts with a smile.

However, reprimanding Arcus's outrageous attitude here would not move the discussion forward.

"Yes, thank you very much. Well then..."

Therefore, to the person sitting next to Arcus, "Please introduce yourself next."

Oshiras was about to prompt them.

But before that.

The elegant woman sitting next to Arcus... the person Oshiras feared the most in this room, stood up gracefully.

With a smile on her beautiful face, she looked around the room.

And she said.

"My name is Lairine Rune!"

She said in a loud voice!

"I'm the woman who will become Emi's mother!"

That's what she said!!

And then she sat down...

And then she sat down, still smiling as before...

Scary.

Somehow scary in many ways.

That was Oshiras's honest impression of this woman named Lairine.

The fear of her as a person in power, being the head of an international organization.

That was all Oshiras feared before entering this room.

But now, how should I put it?

Scary as a person.

We're going to discuss the custody of this girl named Emi from now on.

We're going to discuss it now.

We gathered here for that purpose.

And yet, this woman declared as if it was already determined that she would become the girl's guardian, completely disregarding that fact.

Oshiras sensed the madness hidden within this woman, which she didn't even try to conceal.

It was a different vector from Arcus.

But Oshiras understood that this woman was also an outrageous person.

He really wanted to go home from the bottom of his heart.

Then, at this point.

The girl Emi, who had been silently stuffing Mekena Sandwiches into her mouth, suddenly looked around and stood up.

"I'm Emi."

And after just saying her name in one word, she sat back down on the chair and resumed eating.

"Ah, yes..."

Oshiras felt exhausted even though they had only introduced themselves so far.

That's why he could only give such a halfhearted response.

He was unintentionally stunned, and although he should have started the discussion immediately, there was a slight moment of silence.

From the large window set in one side of the square-shaped conference room, right behind Arcus, warm afternoon sunlight streamed in.

A peaceful, almost sleepy, quiet atmosphere.

Amidst that, a silence suddenly occurred.

The one who broke it was the man in golden armor, Arcus.

"Hey..."

Unlike his easygoing demeanor until just now, Arcus asked Oshiras with a serious expression.

"Would it have been better to stand up before introducing ourselves...?"

Shut up, you idiot. Think for yourself, you idiot.