Amber pondered for a moment, then finally relaxed her brow. "Fine."
She looked at Kotori again. "Schicksal also intends to solve the Spatial Quake problem at its root, but we will not accept an entirely opaque cooperation process. We hope Ratatoskr can provide an answer that satisfies Schicksal."
Kotori cursed internally, but kept a smile on her face. "Of course. Schicksal is our top-priority partner."
Though the three of them had stood together only briefly, she could already tell that this Yulande was not the negotiating type at all. Rita, on the other hand, looked more like someone suited for such matters. Yet despite clearly being that kind of person, she had not participated at all just now, nor had she even entered the room to hear the situation.
Starting with an impossible demand, then gradually conceding until the real objective was revealed—that was a perfectly normal process. Ratatoskr naturally operated that way as well. Yet the other side had deliberately sent an amateur in first. What else could that mean if not an attempt to put them in their place?
But circumstances were stronger than people. Ratatoskr was the one seeking cooperation now, and they truly had no way to make the process transparent for the time being. They were in the wrong, so she could only endure it.
Though she had agreed readily enough, Kotori knew very well that the higher-ups' answer would probably be difficult for Schicksal to accept. They would most likely cling desperately to Schicksal's leg, stalling for time with benefits and good will. After all, the technology for sealing Spiritual Power had no stability whatsoever. It was uncertain when it could even begin.
Having her negotiate this cooperation was genuinely torturous. She was nothing more than a mouthpiece and scapegoat for those higher-ups.
Though