The Author's POV

Fifth floor, demon hunter guild. Inside an office space.

'”Tap! '”Tap!

The rhythmical tapping sound of my fingers echoed across the office space.

Opposite to me was Edward Stern's holographic image. Neither one of us spoke.

"What you proposed is 15% on all profits with no shares, am I correct?"

He was the first to break the silence.

"Mhm, that's my initial proposal"

I nodded my head in confirmation.

"Isn't that a bit too low?"

"I believe fifteen percent is extremely fair. Given that we're just borrowing your name for protection"

Throughout the exchange, neither mine nor Edward's expression changed.

To be a good negotiator one needed to be a good actor. That was what I had learned throughout my life.

If the other party knew about what you were aiming for, things became much easier for them.

Only through deception and indifference could one make a great negotiator.

"That's true, but we'd also be the ones facing the backlash from this situation"

Edward Stern calmly rebutted.

"What might you be referring to?"

Hearing his response, my brows knit for a split second. I then proceeded to feign ignorance. The slight twitch in my brows did not go unnoticed. Edward caught that.

Whether he thought I was acting or not, I did not know.

"Let's not play dumb. We can all tell the potential of this magic card system of yours. However, despite its perks, it also comes with its downsides"

"Like?"

"...Like for example making an enemy of all lower-tiered mages"

"Wouldn't the money you make up for the hate you accumulate?"

I quickly rebutted.

With enough money, what did it matter if the lower-ranked mages left? They could easily replace them.

"We are a guild. We can't just screw over our own members like that. Plus, we also need to talk long-term, what if a competitor pops up on the market? Or what if the cards don't function as well as you presented them to be..."

Edward Stern shook his head at my response. With no emotions on my face, I calmly nodded my head.

"Yes, but I've also offered a discount just for your guild members on all magic cards. Even if you're hated by the lower-tiered mages, you'd make up for it with the cheaper prices for the cards"

"What's the discount? selling at market price?"

In a pinching motion, a small gap appeared between my thumb and index finger.

"Just a tad bit above market price. You know that's already fair. Given the high demand coming from you guys, if we go market price we might make a loss since you'd be taking most of the production"

Edward Stern shook his head.

"That's not good enough. Raise the profit to seventeen percent and we've got a deal"

"Seventeen percent?"

I instantly shook my head.

"No, that's too much"

"I believe it's fair given all the backlash we will receive from this deal."

Adjusting the hologram angle, Edward Stern proceeded to explain.

"Despite being ranked number one amongst the other guilds, if we suddenly come up with such a revolutionary product, the other diamond-graded guilds won't hesitate to band together to stop us. You of all people should know how the world works. Everyone is full of jealousy. Once we cement ourselves as the number one guild, I don't doubt that the other diamond-graded guilds would sit still and do nothing..."

appeared on my face. Glancing at Edward Stern

troubles, but the highest I can do is sixteen

Stern frowned

was merely

originally wanted to test the

looks like he

little bit

was bad.

Is that

I shook my head.

"No, there's another condition"

condition, what

this time frowned for real.

to protect a couple of

pause, I went straight

"Protect?"

use your guild resources to protect my parents. 24/7, at all

possible security available'. Couldn't be having useless

was my main objective

the very beginning, I was prepared to concede one

parents at the moment, she couldn't stay with them all the

I needed her.

and Matthew still at large, I knew that my parents weren't safe. Even worse, now

deal was crucial, and I

you want the guild

"Yes"

the hologram opposite to me, Edward Stern suddenly smiled. He instantly understood

purposely baited me,

It seems like the flow of the conversation

at all. In fact, he

percent plus protection? that can

I smiled.

got

*

that worked out

after coming to an agreement on the terms of the deal, Melissa and I

you pulled it off, I guess you're not as useless as

She was legitimately surprised. She didn't know that I was quite

I didn't say it too loud as I wasn't really too

for me, she

'”Ding!

the first floor. Suddenly, a thought struck me. I quickly

way, how long do you

mused a little bit as

end of the second year. If there are complications, I'd say beginning or end of the third

"I see..."

seemed to be

wait around

the rest was a breeze. Unfortunately for

to today's deal, Melissa was able to

a bonus that she got to increase the

'”Ding!

quickly got out of the

quickly got on it and headed back to

the negotiations came to

...

guild, top

on her father's office chair. Before her, stood her father's

have some peculiar

"mhm"

to her father's words, Amanda nodded her head slightly. He

you not going to say goodbye

"No"

She shook her head.

tomorrow, there

can't be

reply, for a brief moment, there was an awkward silence

ranked dungeon appearing in one of our

understand.

bitter smile appeared on Edward's face as he heard

only I