Disclaimer: I don't own anything, not even the soundtracks. Danmachi belongs to Fujino Ōmori, Final Fantasy XV belongs to Square Enix.

Is it wrong to seek answers?

Chapter 28: Guild Consulting 2: Wareed Conglomerate

GUILDS HEADQUATERTER – CONSULTING ROOM – AFTERNOON

When Noct asked more about that 'Wareed Conglomerate', Misha and Sophie asked him how much he knew about the economy. When Noct denied that, saying that it was a while since he left school, Sophie explained that, as far as she remembered, that a conglomerate consists usually of many subsidiary companies and one parent company, called 'holdings', which finances it's subsidiary companies with money and turn gets a certain part of the subsidiary's revenues.

(OPENING: Sawano Hiroyuki nZK: Mizuki – e of s)

When Noct said, that he understood Sophies' explanation, Misha continued, saying that the Dia Familia is one of the two owners of the 'Wareed Holding', while the other is the wealthy Ward Family, currently represented by their heiress, Estelle Ward.

Misha then said that right after the Dia Familia's arrival 10 years ago, the Dia Familia members started worked as debt-collectors for the Conglomerate besides adventuring, which means that they've been practically connected to the Conglomerate from the very beginning.

Misha also added Because of being the leader of the debt-collectors, Ravus's Alias back then was 'silvershark'.

And that after 5 years during certain 'complicated circumstances' as Misha explained it, they became one of the owners.

At this point, Sohpie proclaimed that the Dia Familia's story is a prime example of 'from rags to riches' in Orario.

Right now, Misha and Sophie could see that Noct was somehow chuckling. And it was true since Noct somehow couldn't stop imagining Ravus as a debt collector. How much he would've seen that.

"Which industries do they contribute financially ?" Noct now asked more about the 'Wareed Conglomerate'

"all possible industries, no matter if small or large businesses, according to this book, they are financially contributing around two-thirds of all businesses in the whole of Orario, but their influence goes also beyond Orario, even towards the whole continent, " Misha said.

" on of their subsidiaries is 'Ramirez-craft', the famous adventurers suit manufacturers." Sophie claimed.

'Ramirez-craft ?' Noct wondered at first until something clicked inside his brain.

"The shopkeeper said this suit is from them, " Noct said towards the two advisors, and then he remembered something more. Misha nodded, believing him since the Ramirez suits are famous and expensive, which are therefor no obstacle for someone with a lot of money like Noct.

"yes, and even one of their family members is part of the Dia Familia, it's 'haystack needle' Lucia Ramirez, currently on Level 5." Misha continued.

Now Noct remembered why her name sounded so familiar.

When Noct asked about other famous members of the Dia Familia, Misha explained that around 7 years ago, they had their first new members joining their Familia, including Lucia Ramirez, Iris Bennet, and Oriana Drake, all three of them being at Level 5 right now.

At first, Noct was impressed, but then he remembered Lucia Ramirez's appearance, which was rather young and teens for his eyes.

"wait, how old were they, when they joined? " Noct wondered.

"around 10 if I'm not mistaken." Misha answered immediately.

"10 ! but isn't that too young, since you're easy prey, right !? " Noct asked while not believing it.

Sophie could see the shock on Noct's face, so she started to intervene.

"When I heard about that first during my period of apprenticeship, I was also shocked to learn that anyone could become an adventurer no matter the age. The famous 'sword Princess' Ais Wallenstein from the Loki Familia, for instance, started even with the age of seven. Not only these practices existed since ancient times, but back then, the average age of an adventurer was much shorter than today. And while today there are hardly any young adventurers starting at that early age, it was never considered forbidden, especially if they've started only going as supporters, which was the case of those three girls I've just mentioned and all the other prominent members of the Dia Familia. " Sophie explained.

Now, Noct couldn't believe what Sophie said. So does that mean you can be even an adventurer as an infant?

What's more, even though he remembered Ravus being rather an a**h*** to him and his friends back in Eos, he knew Ravus deeply cared for his Luna and her well being.

And because of that fact alone, Noct couldn't imagine that Ravus would take such young children along in a dangerous place like the dungeon, let alone as supporters and/or adventurers.

With that in mind, Noct knew that Ravus and Dia have many questions to answer him when they finally meet.

"so let me get this straight, not only the Dia Familia is one of the strongest Familias in Orario, but also they have a large influence on Orario's economy ?" Noct asked

"yes, that's the official version, but you also wanted to know about rumors, or the 'unofficial stuff', right? " Misha asked.

"yes, if there is." Noct said.

"well, one of the rumors is, that the conglomerate is also financially contributing to the 'dirty stuff' ." Misha said

" 'dirty stuff'? " Noct asked again, not clearly understanding what she actually means.

"yes, prostitution for instance, or the black market. That also makes some belief the rumors around Pelna Khara to be true. And there is more .." Misha explained, this time quieter. Usually, if she would advise someone else, she would never mention disgusting words like 'prostitution', but with Noct, it was an exception.

This time, Misha came closer to Noct, making him nervous a bit, but he also could see that despite Misha getting nervous herself for shorting her distance with him, she was determined to tell him.

"I've heard rumors that they are financially contributing even here, in the Guild"

Noct was shocked at first, but then he asked:

"but that doesn't seem illegal, right"

"no, it isn't. And also because Orario is one of the few places where prostitution isn't prohibited, therefor dealing there isn't illegal eighter, but let's say those rumors turn out to be true. In that case, the Dia Familia could easily blackmail the Guild if we refuse to cover-up certain stories that could damage their Familia's reputation. This could also include the fact that members like Lucia and Iris joined at an early age." Misha explained

"and Familias or Groups, who openly deal with 'morally questionable' things, ALWAYS have bad reputations."

Noct was again shocked by the 'dirty stuff', as Misha called it. To be honest, he couldn't imagine that Ravus or Goddess Dia, not to mention Emma and her friends would deal in such activities, but then he came with another question.

"wait, you said that the conglomerate MAY be involved in those 'dirty stuff', but this does not mean that the Dia Familia itself is DIRECTLY involved, right? " Noct asked curiously.

"that may be true since even I haven't heard anything too serious about them, but if, let's say your Familia, the Hestia Familia, would be part of a larger collaboration, and one of those groups among this collaboration turns out to be dealing with illegal drugs for instance, then your Familia's reputation would usually also be damaged, just because both groups were part of the same collaboration." Sophie explained.

"and considering, as I said before, that the Dia Familia is one of the two OWNERS of 'Wareed Holding', they would have even more to lose, but since.." Misha was about to explain.

"hmm-hmm" Sophie coughed while remaining Misha that they're about to talk about sensitive information.

"I mean, 'IF' they might financially contribute to the Guild, certain cases wouldn't get made public." Misha explained.

Misha then came closer to Noct again, "This wouldn't be different than corruption." she whispered to him.

"and that's why, for me at least, the Dia Familia is considered to be THE strongest Familia, even stronger than the Freya Familia." Sophie said

"really? , but Freya has the only Level 7 adventurer of Orario among them ?" Misha wondered

"yes, but if I remember correctly, today, they've returned from the 54th floor, which means that many of them could have leveled up, even the Executives." Sophie claimed.

"and it's such a shame that I cannot be with Eina on their party" Misha complained.

"party ?, you mean their 'return'-party this evening, " Noct asked.

" " you know about that ?" " both female advisors asked.

"yes, Ravus himself gave Goddess Hestia and Goddess Hephestus the invitation, " Noct said.

"Come on, why do I have to do work here while you and Eina go to parties." Misha continued complaining.

Noct looked towards Misha and Sophie while sympathizing with them a bit.

"um, side issue: who else will come towards that party." Noct asked

"as far as I know, certain Gods and their Familias and also many representants, share- and/or stockholders of the conglomerate's subsidiaries will be present, even some from outside of Orario. " Sophie explained.

"even outside of Orario? , really? , didn't expect that they would have so many guests." Noct said.

"Actually, today was, or rather is still going on, the quarterly conference of the Conglomerate. And since the Dia Familia also returned today, they apparently rescheduled the return party and the quarter conference on the same day, which is the whole day and night, and knowing how large their Headquarter is, they presumably don't even need to accommodate their guests in another Hotel or the like. " Misha said.

So that's the reason why Ravus came to Demeter in the first place. What's more, their Headquarters may already be full of hungry guests.

"and Eina will represent the Guild, right ?" Noct asked about the absent advisor.

"yes, I asked our chief Royman if Eina will be accompanied by someone, only for Royman to answer, that she'll be enough, since 'she is the perfect image of the Guild', whatever that means, " Misha said annoyingly while pouting.

Noct then remembered another question.

When he asked about Ravus Nocks's home, Misha answered that he and the other main executives came from a place called 'crystallin' somewhere in the northwest from Orario.

Right now, for Noct, it has been completely confirmed that this 'Crystallum' place exists, but Noct still wondered how Goddess Astraea and Goddess Dia knew about that place.

Noct then asked, what they knew about 'crystallin', to which Misha answered that it is a small mining town, which lies in a valley, and that there was some kind of incident, caused by Evilus in the past, as far as the Guild knows and that this was probably the reason they left in the first place.

This surprised Noct, since he clearly remembered, that Dia said that she knew about the 'Citadel', which is supposed to be 'in the middle of the town, and as large as Babel'. And what's more, that Organisation Evilus is also involved with it? Just what was going on with that place?

Anyway, Noct realized that he knew enough about the Dia Familia, and now he wanted some information about that apparently infamous terrorist group called 'Evilus'.

(ENDING: FM-84 - Running In The Night (feat. Ollie Wride))