Chapter 8: Contract
[Hephaestus POV]
"So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Loki?" I ask the red haired goddess sitting in front of me.
Tsubaki came to let me know that Loki and the executives of her Familia were here to see me while I was signing some paperwork. Normally I would use the excuse that I was busy since dealing with Loki is always a pain but I need a break from all this torture.
"Hehehehe, do I need an excuse to come see you Hephaestus?" she has the nerve to say.
"You came here with all the higher ups of your Familia in tow, so yes." I reply to her causing her to let out another laugh.
"Alright, I'll cut to the chase then, I want a smithing contract between my Familia and that brat of yours." she says with a grin on her face making me frown in response. I know she's talking about Heine but I can't make this too easy for her.
"Don't you already have a contract with Tsubaki? Why would you come here to make another one?" I ask and she bursts out laughing.
"Very funny Hephaestus, but you know exactly who I'm talking about. I want a contract with the boy that made those five weapons everyone is going on about from the Little Hammer Shop." she says and I have to hold in my surprise. The store opened just yesterday, how could it be well known already?
"I can see the look of confusion on your face. It's what happens when someone famous like little Ais here buys five weapons from the shop. With them being of exceedingly great quality on top of that, it only makes sense for word to get around quickly." she explains.
It makes sense now. Indeed, with Ais buying weapons there others will want to try what the Sword Princess bought for themselves. It's still surprising that she found the store on the day of its opening though.
"Alright, I get what you want. Others may not notice what was left on the blades but I know you definitely did. So what are the conditions you want?" I ask and I see her grin.
"A partially exclusive contract with our Familia. He can still mass produce weapons but I want our Familia, and yours of course, to be the only ones with made-to-order weapons and armor created by him. As for the price, I'll let you decide and we can keep talking from there." she says and I have to lean back in my chair and close my eyes to think about it.
An exclusive contract with the Loki Familia would be beneficial for Heine since they go into the dungeon often but at the same time it would greatly restrict him. I should take this time to let him know.
'Heine, Loki Familia is here in my office and they want to enter an exclusive contract with you. If you accept then you wont be able to make personalized weapons for anyone outside of her Familia and ours.' I mentally send to him.
'Hmmm, I don't mind but add a few conditions first. Aside from whatever price you set, I also want a portion of the ores and materials they bring back from their dives. Also, make it so we can choose one other Familia in the future to make personalized weapons for. If she's still seems worried after that last one then add us not being able to pick another large Familia like Freya, Ishtar, or Apollo Familias.' he sends back and I cant help but smile at his choices.
'Okay, I'll let her know.' I think before opening my eyes and looking at Loki.
"Five-billion Valis for ten years for the contract. He'll repair your weapons for free but you'll still have to pay for individual made-to-order weapons and armor, albeit at a discounted price. Ten percent of any ores and materials you bring back from the dungeon will go to him as well." I say and I can see the eyes of her and her Familia widen. Before they can say anything though, I continue speaking. "On top of that, we will be allowed to make a contract with one other Familia of our choice." I finish and Loki scowls.
"Do you think I'm fucking stupid Hephaestus!? Is that it!?" she yells at me in anger as she slams her hand down on my desk and I smirk in response.
"Don't worry, I'll add in that the Familia of choice cannot be another large Familia like Freya, Ishtar, or Apollo Familias." I say and she only seems to get angrier.
"That's good and all but that's not what I was talking about! Five fucking billion!? No one is worth that much, no matter who they are!" she growls out at me. I have to do my best not to laugh in response.
Getting up from my chair, I walk over to the wall to my left under the furious gaze of Loki and the curious ones from her Familia. I reach my hands up and pull Fragrant Olive off of the wall before turning around and unsheathing it. Some of her Familia grows nervous while others grow weary but Loki's reaction is the best one of all.
"Th-th-th-that. . . Th-that's a. . ." she cant get anything else out as she stares wide-eyed at the sword resting in my hands. I can see the confusion in her Familia since to them, this is just another Fragrant Olive. They can tell it's more impressive that the others but since I'm the one holding it they're assuming all the divinity they feel is coming from me. Loki can clearly tell the difference between me and the blade though.
Holding Fragrant Olive in my right hand and the sheathe in my left, I activate it and soon the room is filled with little golden petals. I see the Ais and Gareth looking around in awe, Riveria looking around in awe as well as curiosity, and Finn looking around with wariness. Loki on the other hand, seems to be doing her best impression of a fish. I grin before speaking.
"Thousands of golden petals, each one weighing in at fifty kilograms and sharp enough to cut clean through Orichalcum. They're made of a Mithril and Orichalcum alloy so they naturally also have the Durandal attribute making them indestructible. All of them are controlled by the grip here in my hand which is made of Mithril and has a Seiros core in the center to amplify your magic so you can still use the grip as a wand while controlling the petals at the same time. This is a beautiful masterpiece made by Heine. The Divine Blade, Fragrant Olive."
My words seem to have a great impact in the room as Ais looks at the petals floating in the air with a hunger, Riveria stares at the grip in my hand with the same look in her eyes, and the others aside from Loki look nervous at the thought that they're only one hand movement away from death. I chuckle as Loki starts taking deep breaths for a bit before looking at me.
"Five-billion. . . It's a bit cheap isn't it?" she asks and I cant help but smile.
"You're right, eight-billion it is then." I say and she stares at me incredulously before sighing and shaking her head.
"Fine! Whatever, I'll stop before I dig a deeper hole for myself. We'll accept the contract." she says and no one in the room seems to argue. They all know the value of a smith capable of making divine weapons. I smile and deactivate Fragrant Olive, drawing all the petals back, before sheathing it and placing it back on the wall. I go to sit down while everyone is still staring at it and start writing up the contract while Loki looks at me weirdly.
"Shouldn't the brat be here for this?" she asks and I smile while I continue writing.
"He's in the dungeon at the moment and won't be back for a while. Before he left, he gave me permission to handle anything like this that comes up since he has full trust in me." I lie. It would be best that no one aside from Heine, Tsubaki, and I know about our mental connection. Loki nods her head in understanding as she watches me create the contract. This is when one of her Familia members chooses to speak up.
"How soon will he be back from the dungeon?" Ais asks. I can see the want in her eyes and have to look at Loki for a moment who just shakes her head and shrugs before answering.
"He told me he plans to go in for at least two weeks, he left yesterday so that's how long you'll have to wait at a minimum." I say and notice the impatience she has.
"What floor is he on?" she asks hurriedly making me narrow my eyes at her. Thankfully Finn intercedes.
"Ais, stop being rude. He will return when he returns and that's that. You can make your order once he is back so drop it." he says and Ais backs down with a frown on her face.
I shake my head as I finish up writing the contract before handing it over to Loki for her to look over. She does so and then hands it to Finn, Riveria, and Gareth to check as well. After they all examine it and find nothing wrong with it, Loki signs it and hands it back to me and I sign it as well.
"Well I guess, that's that then. I'll have the money sent over tomorrow and I look forward to when the brat gets back so we can start making orders." Loki says excitedly and I nod my head. We shake hands and they walk out of my office leaving me alone once more.
To think he would have a contract with Loki Familia after joining my Familia for only a few days. I smile as I get back to work on signing paper while looking forward to seeing Heine again.
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It's been a little over a week now since Heine has left for the dungeon. I contact him from time to time to make sure he is okay and so far it seems like everything is going well. He's down on the ninth floor hunting monsters constantly without sleep or rest. I worry he'll overwork himself but he says he's not tired so I'll have to trust him.
I try to not let my thoughts wander as I still have a lot of paperwork to do today as well, but I really wouldn't mind a distraction right now to give myself a little break. As I'm thinking this, Tsubaki notifies me that I have a visitor. When I ask who, I break the pen in my hand at the response.
Freya. It's not hard to guess why she's here. She wants Heine, but she'll have to go over my dead body if she wants him. I take a breath to calm myself down before telling Tsubaki to send her up. Soon enough, the whore appears at my door.
"Well well Hephaestus, you don't seem to happy to see me. I wonder why that is?" she says as she saunters to the chair in front of my desk and sits down.
"You don't come see me ever Freya. So since you're here, its for a reason and we both know what's the only reason you ever move." I say and I see her smile in response.
"Don't worry Hephaestus, I don't want to take him from you. I just want to know a bit more about him. It's not everyday you see a Demi-God after all. Actually, It's not ever that you see one. He's the first." she says and I have to hold back from snapping at her. Don't want to take him my fucking ass.
"What do you want Freya?" I ask as calmly as I can possibly manage right now.
"Where did you find the boy? Was he a Demi-God when you found him or perhaps. . . Do you have something to do with it? His divinity does seem quite similar to yours after all. Also, that blade over there on the wall. I assume it's made my him correct? If so, just how did he manage to make a divine weapon?" she asks and I have to take a moment to think of my answers so as not to let anything slip.
"He's always been here in Orario, over on Daedalus Street. He was a Demi-God when I found him so I have no Idea how he became one. As for his divinity, he is a smith like myself and is a member of my Familia so it's understandable that he feels similar to me. Fragrant Olive was indeed made by him but. . ." I say and pay close attention to Freya's expression. "You'll never get your hands on a weapon like it since Heine has entered an exclusive contract with the Loki Familia." I finish and can't help but smirk at the frown that appears on her face.
"So Loki beat me to the punch it seems. . ." she say before smiling, worrying me greatly.
"No matter, I've heard all I want to. I have to thank you for your time Hephaestus, it has been truly. . . enlightening" she says as she walks out of my office with a wave.
I have to sit there and think over what I said to see if I accidentally let out any info I shouldn't have but I can't find anything wrong. Either she said it that way to unnerve me or. . . she really discovered something from my words. This is why I hate dealing with her.
No matter, whatever it is. We'll have to deal with it when it comes. For now I'll just get back to work and hope Heine comes back safely from the dungeon.
'Be safe, Heine'
'Sure thing Phae-Phae!'
'. . . Damn Brat. . .'