Agreement
"What do you propose?" Zysera sighed deeply, sensing that whatever came next from Malvorrak's mouth would be painful.
The Terragor species was known for its insatiable appetite for gold and treasures. They loved the smell, the look, and the feel of it, which gave them a unique sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.
"Three things. First, gold. I want three months of your tax collection delivered directly to my cave," Malvorrak said calmly, his eyes filled with cunning.
In Malvorrak's eyes, the chances of humans coming here to find the villagers were quite low. He had never seen a human here before, so it seemed unlikely they would come. But, unfortunately, "unlikely" was just that—a probability. Just as it was probable they wouldn't come, it was also probable that they would.
He needed some form of payment for the 'risk' he was about to take.
"That..." Zysera bit her tongue in annoyance but kept her cool. Giving Malvorrak three months of taxes was a lot. Not only would it halt the village's development, but it would also impact their ability to pay tribute to the humans next year.
This entire situation stemmed from Malvorrak's love for gold, and now he was trying to throw her into yet another debt. But there was nothing she could do—worrying about next year's problem without dealing with this year's was foolish.
They had to survive the immediate threat from the humans before thinking about what lay ahead.
"I agree," Zysera nodded firmly, her resolve set.
"Next…" Malvorrak paused as Cious climbed onto his head and whispered in his ear.
"A guardianship treaty… You and your Yolan family will ensure this mountain is protected as long as I stand. You will support us against any threat to the mountain," Malvorrak repeated Cious's words exactly, nodding afterward.
The mountain was so inconspicuously located that most people overlooked it, so Malvorrak hadn't considered the possibility of it being attacked.
This was beneficial. At least when he went out hunting, he wouldn't have to fear coming back to an occupied home.
"Guardianship?" Zysera tilted her head in confusion. Such treaties were typically between two powers of equal strength, yet all Malvorrak had was himself, the little lizard, and a bunch of low-level goblins.
There wasn't anything here worth protecting aside from Malvorrak and his mountain of coins that is.
"Yes, this is non-negotiable." Malvorrak glanced at Cious, sighing. This little guy was smart, not only did this mean they would have all round security for the mountain, they wouldn't owe Zysera the same either.
Only they would be benefiting from this deal
"That's… not a problem," Zysera agreed, thinking the chance of anyone wanting this "big lump of nothing" was zero.
She certainly didn't want it, and it was in her territory, so protecting it made sense.
"Hmm," Cious nodded, satisfied.
"What about the last one?" Zysera asked calmly. This negotiation was going more smoothly than she expected. These demands weren't as unreasonable as she'd feared.
As soon as she asked, Malvorrak broke into a twisted smile, looking at her with an almost sinister glint. He was about to request something even he was unsure about.
"I want to eat Qarc," Malvorrak said sharply, his gaze shifting to where Yolan Qarc stood with a malicious smile.
This little nuisance had truly offended him, and even now, he felt unsatisfied. Perhaps killing the fool would ease his anger.
"Over my dead body!" Zysera adamantly refused.
Give her son to this monster as food? What kind of mother would agree to such a request?
"This puny creature stole the remains of my brothers. Do you think it's unreasonable for me to want him dead?" Malvorrak tilted his head, questioning.
Yes, Qarc was her son, and the request was outrageous, but her son had desecrated his brothers' remains. Malvorrak felt he was within his rights to demand some form of compensation.
"Reasonable or not, I will not let my child become food." Zysera stood tall, gripping her sword tightly and glaring at Malvorrak's massive form.
From behind, Qarc smiled involuntarily. He had always been a thorn in his mother's side, causing trouble at every turn. But here she was, defending him against a monster she had lost to before and would lose to again.
A mother's love.
"Hmph!" Malvorrak naturally didn't care for this display as he prepared to rise and fight. To him, his dead brothers' dignity was far more valuable than Qarc.
"Hmph!" Zysera, too, did not back down. She would die before allowing her son to become food.
However, just as all hell was about to break loose, an idea came to Malvorrak, and he sat back down.
"Alternatively, I'll accept him serving me as a subordinate for five years," Malvorrak proposed.
He had been stuck in this cave for a long time, and with true wisdom, his mind had developed rapidly. He knew how to compromise for a greater goal.
"Five? That's too long." Seeing Malvorrak's willingness to negotiate, Zysera relaxed slightly. This was why she had come—this beast was no longer as impulsive as before.
"I can agree to maybe one year." Looking around at her shocked companions, Zysera addressed Malvorrak calmly.
Her group had been wide-eyed ever since arriving, shocked at the beast's speech, demands, and negotiation skills.
This was beyond anything they had expected.
"One year is too short. He needs to learn not to steal from others. Make it two, and we have a deal. And don't worry, no 'life-changing' harm will come to him," Cious added, clearly intrigued by the new proposal.
"Okay, you have a deal," Zysera agreed, a hint of guilt on her face.
She had essentially signed Qarc up for two years of humiliation. But then again, it might serve as a valuable opportunity for growth.