Krysta
Ms. Li burst out laughing. “I won’t lie and say the fact your force produces some of the most time efficient methods for increasing nascent energy wasn’t a consideration.
“But I think you’re underestimating our purchasing power. We’re more after the discount we would receive from Aalam being your apprentice than the direct resources you would provide.”
“Given the nature of the System, I don’t believe you would be able to directly access the Yin Yang Sage’s wealth.” Joma’s voice became instantly more serious at the mention of business contracts. “And the Shadow Thief was only a C rank. Did the Violet Mountain Sect have more capital than I’d expect?”
“Of course.” Ms. Li shifted to a more serious tone as well. “They’d been sitting on the inheritance of a dead god for millions of years and completely misusing one of his divine dwellings.”
Krysta’s heart started to race again, and she was pretty sure her mother’s had as well.
“Granted, Steel Swamp Sorin didn’t expect to die, so none of his wealth was left behind beyond the divine dwelling itself.” Ms. Li didn’t pause even after the insane revelation. “But he did leave everything he knew about classes, races, bloodlines, racial abilities, and cultivation, as well as every crafting recipe he’d ever gotten his hands on.
“Given the paths those in my force are already on, there’s not much of that information which is of use to us beyond Aalam learning from the blueprints, but this doesn’t mean there’s no valuable information at all.
“Your class is the Mythic grade Alchemist of the Forgotten Grove, correct?”
“Yes.” Joma took a deep breath, and Ms. Li, who had an A rank master and thus knew exactly how rare what she was about to offer was, smiled.
“Do you know any of the classes it can advance to?”
“One.”
“And do you know that class’s exact requirements?”
“No.”
Ms. Li’s smile became radiant. “Let’s start the process of making a deal then. I have knowledge of four Empyrean grade classes which can be advanced from Alchemist of the Forgotten Grove, including their full lists of effects and requirements. What is the maximum amount you’d be willing to pay for such information?”
Krysta’s mother turned to look at her. “Do you understand the main mistake I made here, Krysta?”
“You thought this would only be a discussion about taking in an apprentice,” Krysta began, thinking while she spoke, “and you thought the other side was the only one with things to hide, so you made a contract designed to force the share of information in a way that would make the other party feel safe, not thinking they might use that chance to force you to share information as well.”
Joma shook her head. “First, that last part is wrong. I already identified Ms. Li as following the path of a diabolical trickster, so I knew she’d force some information out of me. I just didn’t think it would be information I’d actually care about being secret. That, however, is not the main mistake I made.
“The main mistake was, even knowing I was dealing with someone following the path of a diabolical trickster, I didn’t take every possible precaution I could.
“I was arrogant.
“There is a vast disparity of strength between me and Ms. Li, so I didn’t think she’d have anything I’d want beyond a possible second apprentice, and, as a result, she played me like a fool.”
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Joma looked back at Ms. Li, a slightly annoyed expression on her face, but Ms. Li looked even more confused than Krysta felt. “You could just say you don’t want to answer the question. There’s nothing in the contract making that an unacceptable option.”
“No, there is.” Joma sighed. “I’m not like you, Ms. Li. I’m an open and honest business woman, a bit to a fault. And that’s the main secret to me staying truly neutral even while dealing with gods and A ranks all these years.
“Also, I quite like the sound of my own voice and showing off how smart I am, which is one of the main faults in my personality, so I actually want to answer your question. And I’m a victim of my own contract wording, so I have to answer it, and answer it fully, or it would be a lie of omission.
“Normally, I’d be able to finagle my way out of doing so at least a bit, but I didn’t expect making a contract with you to strengthen it so much, and that’s taken away pretty much all my wiggle room.”
Joma shook her head again, laughed, and her voice became a bit more cheerful. “Alright. That’s enough of a delay. The time I took didn’t allow me to think of a good way out, so I might as well just give you the answer.
“What you have is extremely valuable to me. It’s information many gods I know have access to, but it’s not something they’d ever agree to sell me unless they were desperate, which will likely never happen in my lifetime.
“That said, however, it’s not information I absolutely need. First and foremost, I’ve yet to reach max level for an A rank. Second, the Law requirements for my apotheosis are pretty obvious, and most of the other requirements for my class advancement can be inferred. Finally, third, I haven’t yet gathered all the resources I need for my race advancement, which, when advancing to godhood, happens at the same time as class advancement, so the information you have is lower priority than a couple natural treasures I require.
“Still, this puts the worth of the information you have, at least to me, at around the level of a high grade A rank treasure, so the maximum I’d be willing to pay would be around the 2,985,984 A rank universal credits mark.”
“Okay.” Ms. Li took a deep breath and a wide smile spread across her face. “Would you be willing to use this type of wording for the contract?”
Krysta couldn’t see the contract, as she was not one of the parties involved, but, from her mother’s expression, Joma seemed pleased. “I like the debt reduction favor term. Thanks especially for making it optional. But I definitely will not accept the for life price reduction built into term 3. If you make it to A rank at some point, I imagine you will be far wealthier than me, and the loss of profit would be way too high.
“Term 5 is also impossible to accept. I do take on recurring orders from clients, but there has to be the ability to cancel on my side built in so I’m not forced to eat a massive loss in the case of a large force manipulating the market on key ingredients. And term 7 is impossible as I’ve already given priority to twelve other forces which would overlap.”
“Okay. What about this then?” Ms. Li made a gesture and Joma seemed to have a new contract to look at.
Then Krysta’s mother started to chuckle as she looked back at Ms. Li. “I’m guessing that new term 7 is going to be very expensive, huh?”
“Most likely, yes.” Ms. Li nodded and her face became more serious. “But these are the terms of the contract I’d want if you were to become Aalam’s master.”
Ms. Li made another gesture and Joma’s face became more and more serious as she read the new contract.
Then she looked up at Ms. Li and frowned. “This reads like you expect me to abandon you, but it’s too favorable to me in that case.”
“My teacher watched your rise, Madam Alchemist, so I have a good sense of your past and personality. You are, however, neutral in the political games of the universe.
“My teacher, on the other hand, was very much not.
“As a result, as our force grows more powerful, we’re going to attract the attention of my teacher’s old friends and enemies whether we like it or not. And, due to our need for resources, our force will likely create its own enemies as well, such as our stealing of Steel Swamp Sorin’s divine dwelling from under the noses of five A rank forces.
“Aalam is not like Henrietta. He doesn’t have living A ranks and gods behind him. So his enemies will treat you as his biggest backer, and at some point you won’t be able to afford that.
“To you, taking on Aalam is a gamble, big risk and big reward. But rational people like you don’t put your all on such gambles, while me and mine would prefer you to bet as much as you can afford.”
Ms. Li gestured to the air in front of Joma. “This contract changes the nature of your bet to one with big rewards if things go well and little risk if they don’t, on your part at least. And this I hope would encourage you to bet more on Aalam while he would need you the most.”
Joma took a few seconds to think, looking at Krysta and then back to Ms. Li. “The logic makes sense. But it does seem a bit unfair.”
Ms. Li smiled slightly. “There is a saying on Earth. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. We have no need for A or B rank resources yet, but the universal auction is coming up, where extremely rare resources will be available in abundance, and we need help gaining access to those at E, D, and C rank.”
“Right.” Joma smiled. “Timing and need are everything.”
But then Krysta watched as her mother seemed to realize something. “Damn. That 7th term is so sinister. I take back what I said about the contract being unfair.”