Deal (2)
Deal. An exchange of goods or benefits between parties—a profoundly weighty word, yet one we hear all the time. But honestly, it felt way too sudden. Right now, at this moment?
It had been a while since my golem's first real combat test, and I'd just run a collision trial today. But that was it. I still hadn't built a proper bipedal golem. I had no real results to show for it yet. And right in the middle of that, a contract? Talk about out of left field.
As those thoughts raced through my head, my vision tinged red.
"Ah. Damn."
I'd thought the wound had clotted during my chat with the professors earlier, but it must've reopened. While I was pondering what to do, my counterpart suddenly reached out.
"By the name of Mina Christa, the fifth saintess who serves Goddess Saras, I invoke the miracle of healing."
With those words, light bloomed from her hand. The blood blurring my sight stopped flowing. It was oddly fascinating, and then she crossed her arms with a smirk.
"Heh heh, you're lucky. My healing starts at gold coin rates."
"Gold coin? What?"
Standards vary by person, but one gold coin could feed you potatoes for two solid months with change left over. She'd just cast a healing spell that pricey on me?
"If this is a shakedown, I'll make it a memory you won't forget. Consider yourself warned."
I had zero interest in owing her for unneeded healing. If she demanded payment, I'd have no choice but to unleash the self-defense tool sealed in my right pocket. But she just chuckled.
"...Do that if you want, but not this time."
So she'd do it if needed, huh. Still, why was it so damn expensive? Reading my face, she smiled even softer.
"It's the healing of the fifth saintess among the thirteen chosen by Goddess Saras, served by thousands of faithful. I've gifted you the love and blessing of the divine."
A smile that was benevolent yet whimsically self-serving—an intriguing vibe. But... how to put it.
"...If it's just closing a cut, wouldn't basic healing do the trick?"
Extreme maybe, but a scrape like this heals on its own with time. No need for fancy—or even standard—healing spells. Her eyebrow twitched at that.
"Well, yeah."
Her tone shifted.
"That's exactly it. Basic healing's the same whether from the pope, a saintess, or a layperson. Overkill for a scrape, right?"
Her expression changed too—now slightly arrogant, a bit prickly in voice and face.
"But free is free, yeah? And don't you feel healthier somehow? Fifth saintess and all. Oh, the noble saintess's healing! How could it not be pricey? Makes you wanna open your wallet!"
The saintly, playful act from before? Gone. Now she was prickly and haughty. But oddly, it wasn't off-putting. Her exaggerated antics made it clear.
"...Your salesmanship is no joke."
Image marketing? Packaging? She had a real talent for making the mundane seem extraordinary. And the fact it didn't even annoy me? That ramped up my wariness. No real difference in effect, so technically a scam—but her attitude made it hard to call it that outright. Plus, she'd actually healed me earlier, so not entirely a con. Naive folks would buy the grandeur, accept the "kindness," or empty their pockets either way.
Don't let your guard down, or she'll bleed you dry.
Her eyebrow twitched again at my heightened caution, then she switched masks. Arrogance dialed up, but still not punchable—half-lidded eyes screaming boredom.
"Thinks I'll bleed him dry if he's not careful."
Telepathy? Nah, dismissed that. She'd have noticed the potato sprout powder in my right pocket otherwise—my special brew for repelling barbarians like Mark.
"So, what's the pitch?"
"Pitch? Oh, right. Time is money, and we've wasted plenty."
The woman claiming saintess status clasped her hands with a grin. Now she was bubbly and energetic, like some poster girl.
"Nothing major! Just super interested in that golem's structure—how it smashed the gate and stayed mostly intact. Aizen! Sell me the tech for that structure, plus production and exclusive sales rights for related golems!"
"Not for sale."
She clearly wanted something like patent rights on my golem. No clue if patents existed here, but I wasn't handing over key rights lightly.
"Time is money, you said. That golem took my time and effort. Not selling."
"Too bad. Guess no funding or advance payment then."
Her cold tone and mention of funding caught me off guard. Then she bared her teeth in a feral grin.
"...I get the gist. You're not really after that—you're building something else, right, necromancy prodigy?"
"Where'd you hear that nonsense?"
"Anyone fiddling with chicken bones would think the same."
Her face kept shifting. Was she switching modes—business, negotiation? Or tailoring masks to her mark? As I pondered, she kept talking.
"Necromancy's not persecuted anymore, and it's got some buzz for monster fights. But whatever. What you built had two legs and moved weird. Killer, right?"
"Those aren't legs! Tracks! Caterpillar!!"
I yelled without thinking. Silence hung briefly, then she smirked. Half-lidded, laid-back now.
"Got it~ Not legs, but tracks, huh~."
Felt like I'd slipped up. No fixing it. She turned detective-serious.
"Don't give me that look. Good intel, but I suspected. Let me guess: you want a giant riding golem that walks on two legs?"
No way I hadn't figured it out by now. And no point denying.
"Yeah."
I said it confidently. She grinned.
"It's good enough now, but you insist on bipedal. Fine. Reason?"
"'Cause it's cool."
Silence. Laughter. Then...
"...Pfft... ahahahaha!!"
Roaring with laughter. A saintess of many faces. But soon she beamed.
"Sorry. Thought you'd at least pretend to mull it over."
Her voice deflated, shoulders slumping. Eyes playfully half-lidded, but sharply scanning me. What mask was this?
"So, what? You'll fund my research?"
Her face and voice were just tools. She'd stated her goal ages ago.
She nodded, then blurted,
"Mina."
"Huh?"
"Mina Christa. Call me Mina. Whatever."
Her speech shortened. Mina grinned.
"Simple. Investment. You build. I fund, sell, and split profits."
Blunt as hell. Seeing my surprise, she chuckled.
"Knew it. This is the answer."
"Hey."
"I'll answer."
Mina spread her arms.
"I'm a merchant. Weird for a merchant to invest in promising goods?"
"Saintess, you said."
"Merchant first. Christa family bought their barony from commoner roots. Saintess spot? Bought it. Don't really care."
That okay? She grinned.
"Doesn't mean I'm unskilled. I'd be last in line otherwise."
"...Skilled, loaded, so you bought in. Got it."
"And I need your tech."
Mina said quietly.
"Straight talk: that track golem stole my heart. Wagons have fixed paths. Can't handle rough terrain. Carts same. But that beast? Tweak it, and it'll haul tons anywhere."
"Paving roads might be more efficient."
Offhand comment, but road maintenance was a thing here. Mina shrugged.
"Paved roads mean developed markets. Lots of interference."
Merchant woes? I nodded. Tested the waters.
"Real reason?"
"Fill three more gold-filled warehouses now, and keep growing."
Half-lidded, she declared proudly,
"I like money."
"Fair."
I mulled it. Bluntly? Tempting. Better than vague promises. As I nodded, Mina spoke.
"Contract terms like this?"
Pacing the room—habit?—she murmured with each step.
"Christa Merchant Company as Party A, Aizen as Party B. 'Golem' includes all B's creations, especially riding bipedal golems."
"First: A funds all B's golem production costs. A gets naming and sales rights to developed golems and derivatives."
"Second: B grants sales rights only to A. A may modify and sell provided golems."
"Third: Profits 70-30."
She paused, grinned.
"Just riffing. Thoughts?"
"No."
I narrowed my eyes.
"Sorry, prior commitment. Coming to the academy was technically for that."
"Figured. Not naming it means NDA clause?"
No answer. She was the type, and terms weren't bad for me. Pivot elsewhere.
"More like, 70-30? Time's gold for you, silver for me?"
"I handle sales channels, buyers, all that. Worth it."
"I make the damn things."
I glared lightly. She grinned, twirling a finger playfully.
"You."
"Wanna build so much, need tons of cash, right?"
"Yeah."
She pondered, then,
"Gotta tweak it." Chuckling,
"Second: B sells A design drafts and tech outlines. A gets mod and sales rights based on them."
"Third: A funds B's next-gen golem dev and upgrades, gets sales rights, splits profits."
Hand out, she said,
"Now I'm your backer and patron. Happy?"
Her red eyes screamed greed, fun, adventure. Good deal, right? I almost shook, but,
"60-40. Can't budge."
"Pushing to the end, huh."
But she didn't pull away. I took her hand.
"Let's make it work."
Mina didn't reply. Just grinned greedily.
Honestly, a headache of a guy. Even as they shook, Mina thought so inwardly.
I thought I was good at reading people and matching them.
Switching masks to fit her counterpart was one of Mina's skills. But Aizen was tough.
Couldn't pin him down.
Seemed fixated on one thing, but then he'd notice everything around—no. Sharp in crises, yet radical for his goals.
After ages without a read, she'd tested a mask. And that was it.
Honesty.
Soon, watching Aizen, she smirked inwardly.
Gonna cause tons of trouble ahead.
Guy who casually smashed the gate? No way he'd just attend academy normally.
This'll be fun.
Big loss or huge win.
This guy's gonna be a blast.
This mark? Way too entertaining.