Flaminia

Flaminia closed down the enchanted tap that drew water from the well after having washed her face. Her eyes were still swollen as she checked them in the bronze mirror, but they were definitely an improvement over what they had been barely minutes ago.

She had told Joey and Clodia that she didn’t need to participate in Joey’s negotiations for his future. She had certainly done enough and it was now time to step aside.

How stupid I was…

She took a deep breath and entered one of the rooms they used to rest, laying down. A big headache was threatening to make her head explode.

This was a lot to take in.

A Human, Joey Luciani, had thoroughly humiliated her in front of everyone. She didn’t feel as bad about the nervous breakdown she just had as much as the clear skill difference between her and Joey.

She had thought that with all her skills, even if Joey knew some recipes, he couldn’t have done much in a direct contest. Truth to be told, she had felt like she was going to bully Joey. But it turned out that her own ears had been much greener that she had anticipated.

Joey was on a whole other level. If he had levels under his belt, he would have been in the high 50s, if not already beyond the 60-threshold.

She had even felt an aura coming from him. No one was talking about that, but it had been crystal clear when he had given his ‘presentation.’ Joey had a cooking-related aura. The same maybe the best [Chef] in Epretos would have.

So stupid…

Flaminia’s fingers dug in her hand.

I was so damn stupid…

She had believed that with these new levels under her belt, no one in Amorium would be able to challenge her. Not even Camilla could hold a candle to her sheer skills and levels at the moment, not without specializing. And instead, Joey had delivered a lesson akin to a thunder on a sunny day. Unexpected, scathing, and, most importantly, terrifying.

Flaminia shook off the bad memories that threatened to re-emerge and focused on the present.

She had thought she had put everything past her, that she had become the best. The damn levels should have been proof enough of that.

And then… Joey came.

Flaminia sighed.

“I guess this will be like starting from zero, again,” she grimaced.

But it was fine.

Even though starting over sounded crazy, it was fine.

She had never given up before and she wasn’t going to start now.

…

Joey

Clodia gently puts me down on the couch in her office as I give her a stupid grin.

“This is the first and last time. Are we clear?”

“Crystal clear,” I nod with a gentle laugh. “Come on. I needed a pick-me-up after all the stuff that went down today. I’ll also need a nap, by the way. I wasn’t really joking when I said my legs don’t work. I don’t know if it’s the lack of sleep or what. But they really don’t.”

The owner of Happy Bakery nods at me, sitting at the other side of the table and putting her head between her two slender hands.

Flaminia went to refresh herself and I left my team to finish all their cassate while I have a business chat with Clodia.

“Before we say anything,” the muscled woman looks at me, slightly exasperated, “you are not signing any contract, am I right?”

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

I nod.

“No paperwork. Can’t handle it, sorry.”

Clodia exhales loudly and nods.

“We’ll call it a verbal agreement that will be double-checked through truth-stone. Is that okay?”

I nod, even though I still a tingle of anxiety from ‘verbal agreement.’ But it’s manageable.

“You said you had conditions,” Clodia looks at me with a wary gaze. I suppose that after what I’ve just done I kinda became a menace.

Good.

“So, what are these conditions?” She asks.

“Violante and Melina are fired,” I start, waiting for her to nod before moving it along. “If someone goes around calling me a Worm or tries to poison the work environment, you fire them. I want to use my expertise to help people, not pieces of crap—and, before you say anything, I’ll make an exception if a woman has fallen on hard times and she’s racist. We can teach her enough to get her a job in another bakery. But I won’t teach anything but the absolute basics to those people. Hardships justify a lot, but not being a total piece of crap. Do we agree?”

Clodia nods with a very serious face but then hesitates.

“Joey… Flaminia has had it rough, too. She crossed boundaries, but please do not shame her excessively. She had a hard time when she was younger. Her levels are very important to who she is—that doesn’t justify her, but you should at least keep it into consideration.”

I nod.

“Don’t worry. I’m not the vindictive type.”

“Good. Do you want to be the second Head Chef of Happy Bakery, then?” She suddenly proposes.

“We’ll talk more about that with Flaminia when she’s feeling better. For now, I just need to move some people under my direct command. Also, I want to hire both Quintus and Tiberius. Stan, too, but I don’t think he’d accept. Truffles doesn’t want to be a [Baker] so he’s out, too. Yeah, just Tiberius and Quintus for now. I can guarantee for them.”

Clodia looks at me, uncomprehending.

“Don’t they have a debt with the military? I would hire them immediately, but they can’t be employed until they have repaid their debt.”

“Which you are going to do as an act of goodwill for what I went through,” I say matter-of-factly. “It’s around four-hundred golds, I believe.”

“What?! Do you have any idea how much money that is?!” Clodia’s eyes go wide.

“I am worth much more than that, Clodia,” I tell her.

“You…” She grits her teeth but doesn’t refute me. We both know it’s true. I have not looked at how much bread she’s selling, but I know she already cranked up the production—plus, with the advent of Altamura bread, she’s about to make a killing.

“I need people with grit working under me. I’m going to make them and Raissa my direct subordinates.”

“Four-hundred golds,” she growls. “Done. What else?”

“Raissa is getting a bonus and a raise. Make it a bonus big enough to get a downpayment on a house. I don’t know how much that is.”

I hear Clodia’s desk creak maliciously as she grabs its edge. But this time she doesn’t say anything.

“I want a 30% cut of the net profit of any recipe that includes my new ingredients and any new recipe I provide Happy Bakery as long as I work here. If I stop working here, I’ll take 15% for five years. After that, it’s all yours.”

I see Clodia bristling with anger, but I go on.

“I could be unreasonable, Clodia. I could ask for much more than this. I will give you my word that for one year, I will stay with Happy Bakery and do my best to teach everyone what I know. I will personally oversee everyone’s job with Flaminia’s help.”

A short silence settles between us.

The fact that I am all in for kindness and treating people respectfully doesn’t mean I don’t know my value. Plus, if they had treated me better, I might have given them a discount.

“I’ll give you this: if I ever leave, I won’t poach anyone but the people directly subordinated to me. But let’s be very clear. Tiberius, Quintus, and Raissa—they take orders from me and me only.”

Clodia nods, slightly relieved.

“Reasonable. Do you think you’ll stay for longer?”

“We’ll see. Let’s see how we work together. I didn’t really say, but I do have a lot of managing experience. I don’t want to disrespect you, but I have ran a much, much larger business than this. If you are willing to take my advice, I could bring Happy Bakery far.”

Clodia nods, closing her eyes with frowned eyebrows.

“You taught Flaminia—I’ll trust you. I’m not in the mood for a square off in business. I’ll reserve myself the option to veto any terribly stupid proposal.”

There goes the maid café, I lament.

“Good and fair,” I say. “Let’s make this something based on trust and respect. I don’t need to give orders to you nor to take them. We can consult with each other. And at the end of the day this is your business. You have taken it far by yourself. Let’s see where we can take it together, though.”

I prop myself straighter from the couch, looking straight for Clodia’s deep eyes.

“What I said before, Clodia, I meant it with all my heart. What you did with some of the girls is beyond imagination for most societies—and you turned it into a successful business. You did not compromise your values for more money. I respect that more than you could ever imagine. There are problems, but your heart is in the right place; and that’s the only reason I really want to stay here working for you.”

Clodia gets up and walks toward the couch, putting her hands on the headrests at the sides of my head.

Oof, a bit close.

“I accept all your conditions,” she says, basically attached to my face. “But if you mess up, Joey Luciani, I will be going to jail for a long time. Don’t swindle or take advantage of any of my employees—no matter how good you are, I will break every bone in your body and stomp your head in if you do. Do you accept this condition?”

I move my mouth closer to her ear.

“I most certainly do.”

She pushes herself back straight and extends a hand my way.

“Then, let’s make some money.”

“Time to put out the big guns and roll in some dough,” I say, giving her a tight squeeze.

“For Happy Bakery,” I speak the words with purpose.

“For Happy Bakery,” she repeats with a rare smile painted all over her face.